Strangers In Paradise
by MarvelMaster616
Summary: In their youth, Clark Kent and Princess Diana met when Clark was shipwrecked on Themyscira. This accident of fate would come to have a profound impact on their lives and their hearts, disrupting the traditions of the Amazons and the order of the gods. Years later, as greater forces conspire against them, can they come together or will fate tear them apart?
1. Shipwrecked

**Strangers In Paradise  
Chapter 1: Shipwrecked**

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**AN: This is the first major DC Comics story that I've ever written. I've always had an affinity for certain DC characters, but I've never been inspired to write stories about them the way I have with Marvel. Thanks to new developments like the New 52, I feel like I have a story worth telling here. It involves one of my favorite comic book pairings of all time, Superman/Wonder Woman. It's a pairing I never thought would happen in the comics because of Superman's history with Lois Lane. But thanks to the New 52, it finally did and the depth of this relationship can finally be explored. This story takes that relationship and develops it in a new way that I hope others will enjoy. **

**In addition, I would like to thank my good friend, Agent-G, for helping me develop this story. I couldn't have done it without him.**

'_**This means character thoughts or psychic communication'**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Superman, Wonder Woman, or the Justice League. They are the property of DC Comics and Warner Brothers. Please don't sue.**

**As always, I encourage everyone to take the time to review the story and provide feedback. Send me your comments via email at ****marvelmaster616 **** or post a review on the fanfiction website. Thank you and enjoy the story.**

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**Themyscira – One Year Ago**

The heart of every Amazon burned with a passion for war and a love for their homeland. Blessed by the gods, granted immortality, and endowed with great strength, they stand as an embodiment of feminine strength and warrior pride. As such, they defend and do the will of the gods. For centuries, they've fought to preserve the fragile balance between the realm of the gods and the realm of men.

However, they do not interact with men, nor do they associate with man's world. They reject the corrupt, patriarchal order that men have used to subjugate women for centuries. Once, the Amazons were victims of that corrupt order. Hercules, the illegitimate son of Zeus, sought the heart of Hippolyta, queen of an obscure tribe of warrior women. For a time, there was love and passion between them. They even entertained thoughts of merging her army with his, creating a band of great warriors. But when Hippolyta refused his demands to be submissive rather than an equal, she rejected him.

In doing so, Hercules became enraged and sought revenge. He assembled his army and attacked them in broad daylight. They were victorious, taking the surviving women and binding them with ropes and shackles. Hercules then demanded that Hippolyta accept his hand in marriage and that her fellow Amazons join his army in subjugation. True to her Amazon code, she refused submission.

As punishment for her refusal, Hercules had his men rape Hippolyta's Amazon sisters. For three days and nights, they were ravaged. Hercules made her watch every moment of it, forcing Hippolyta to listen to their cries and witness their torment. He then gave her another opportunity to accept his proposal. Again, she refused to submit. Hercules then bound her with shackles and raped her. His fellow men, having ravaged her sisters, forced them all to watch their queen's humiliation. But this indignation was still not enough. They continued to refuse, preferring death over subjugation. Yet Hercules and his men denied them even that, allowing every one of them to live after their torment was complete.

While she and her sisters lay naked and defeated at the hands of Hercules, Hippolyta made a desperate prayer to Hera and the gods of Olympus. Her prayer was answered. In exchange for their pledge to serve the gods, they were granted the strength and resilience to ensure that they would never be victims of male dominance again. Hera granted them dominion of Themyscira, also known as Paradise Island. This island was blessed with eternal abundance and shrouded in a mystical cloak. The island acts as both a home and a battleground, one where the presence of mortal men is forbidden and where the will of the gods and Queen Hippolyta is law.

Over the centuries, these laws have been dutifully upheld. In that time, there have been a few Amazons that have disobeyed. Their punishment is swift yet merciful. They face exile from Themyscira and are stripped of their immortality, doomed to die of old age. At times, this has required Amazons to bear children to maintain their numbers. While this is rare, it is tightly controlled by the gods. They seek a suitable man, they choose the Amazon that will bear the child, and they allow the Amazon to seduce the man. Once they have coitus, the memory of the encounter is erased from the man and the Amazon returns to Paradise Island where the gods ensure that the child is a girl and is raised in the ways of the Amazons.

These ways represented everything the Amazons were and what they strived to be. And these were the ways and values that Diana, daughter of Hippolyta and Princess of the Amazons, had been brought up to defend. Her very birth had been considered a miracle, another answered prayer by the gods when Hippolyta begged for a chance to be a mother. She seemed destined to be the best the Amazons had to offer. Yet at times, she seemed to question that destiny.

"Tell me again, mother. Why don't we explore man's world? Why must the Amazons fight only the battles ordained by Olympus?" asked the 16-year-old princess as she stood with Hippolyta on a hill overlooking the shore.

"You already know the answers to these questions, Diana. You've been given these answers in many forms on many occasions," answered Hippolyta.

"I know every word of these answers. But every time I hear them, I find them less satisfying. I know of the crimes perpetrated by Hercules and his men on our sister. I've been told of the suffering and subjugation that millions of women endure."

"Then why do you insist on belaboring this question? Why does it bother you so?"

"Because it seems _incomplete_," said Diana as she gazed distantly into the setting sun. "I don't know why, but I feel it in my heart. And one of the first lessons every Amazon learns is to fight from the heart and let it power the will."

"Nobody would ever question your heart," said Hippolyta, "But do not mistake the heart and the brain. You'll only confuse yourself with flawed thoughts."

"Funny, all of my sisters say the same thing, often with those exact words. I used to think it was just because I was a young girl on an island where there are so few. But as the years pass, I get the sense that they are the ones with flawed thoughts."

The Amazonian princess, and the light of Hippolyta's life, gazed out over the shores with a glint of wonder in her eyes. It was a dangerous look because it saw the world beyond this island in such a different light. Diana had always been a curious, adventurous child in addition to being a proud warrior. Her spirit could not be contained by this island. Being the queen's daughter and somewhat of an anomaly, a child born on an island of immortal women, she often ran off to be alone. She usually found her way to this very spot, a picturesque hill that overlooked the beach on the southernmost portion of Paradise Island. It was so beautiful, especially at sunset. But its beauty only encouraged these dangerous thoughts.

As Diana tried to admire this beauty, Hippolyta mother placed her hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a light embrace. It didn't quell Diana's wonder. She kept looking out over the sea, hoping to see the world beyond. Hippolyta knew that world. She still bore the scars it left on her. She promised the day she held her infant daughter in her arms that Diana would never endure such torment. She just never imagined that keeping such a promise would be this difficult.

"Diana, we are warriors in service to the gods. This island, these ways, and the questions you continue to ask – they are a product of battles fought long ago," said Hippolyta, speaking as both a queen and a mother now. "For many of our sisters, myself included, the scars of those battles have not healed. Many cannot be healed, no matter how many seasons pass."

"I know all about the atrocities you and our sisters endured, mother. They were horrific. I do not doubt that for a second," said Diana, who always grew uncomfortable when this subject came up.

"Those atrocities were a direct product of the world beyond these shores…a world that is dark and corrupt, especially to women. We chose long ago to rid ourselves of such corruption and the gods granted us this gift."

"You're still telling me things I've heard many times before, mother. If this world is so dark and corrupt, why don't we do anything about it?" asked Diana intently.

"Because the world of man is too complicated," replied Hippolyta. "It is not as simple as killing a harpy or slaying a titan. There are so many corrupt men in power who seek only to propagate their corruption."

"And what of the men who aren't in power? Are they as guilty as Hercules and his army?"

"That is irrelevant."

"But why?" asked Diana, still as confused as before. "I hear other sisters talking about how the world has changed since the days of Hercules. Is it not possible that this same corrupt order, and the men within it, have also changed?"

"That is still irrelevant," said Hippolyta with growing frustration.

Diana now shared her mother's frustration, but for very different reasons. It sounded like her mother was just making excuses. She said these words with such conviction, but within her tone she could still sense the scars left upon her by men like Hercules. These scars had obscured her understanding and that of all her sisters. Her kept telling her there was a greater truth to be sought, yet her mother and her loving grasp kept dissuading her from that truth.

"I still don't understand why," said Diana, shaking her head and hugging her shoulders. "You say man's world is still corrupt. Yet here we are, warriors blessed by the gods. How can we live here on this paradise while others suffer?"

"It is not our place to fight those battles, Diana. You know this. We have enough battles to fight here at the behest of the gods."

"Battles that only succeed in preserving the way things are," retorted Diana. "Have you never even contemplated fighting for something greater?"

"Of course, I have. But that is not for us to decide," said Hippolyta.

"So says the queen of the Amazons?"

"No…so says your mother, who only happens to be Queen of the Amazons."

She spoke with a tone in her voice that silenced Diana, knowing that there was nothing left to argue. The Amazonian princess held her head low with her mother's affectionate hand still on her shoulder. She never doubted her love or her dedication as a mother. Questioning her and the ways she had been brought up to champion proved strenuous in a way that even the greatest warrior could not bear.

They remained silent, watching together as mother and daughter, admiring the sun as it set over Paradise Island once more. The beauty of this scene that should have drawn them together only widened the distance between them. Diana could only accept it in her innocent youth while her mother remained dedicated to the ways of the past. At least for now, there was no hope for change. The world of men and the world of the gods seemed doomed to remain forever separate.

* * *

**Mediterranean Sea - One Year Later**

"Mayday! Mayday! This is Captain Grant of the SS Cato! We are under siege by pirates! I repeat, we are under siege by pirates!"

Clark heard this desperate call from the main deck of a massive cargo ship that had been sailing the Mediterranean for nearly three days now. He might have been the only one not panicking. In fact, he was surprised that this didn't happen sooner. The whole reason he decided to take a job as a low-wage ship hand was to be on a ship when it got attacked by these pirates. Now he had his chance and neither the pirates nor the crew would know what hit them.

The captain of the ship stormed out from the deck, followed by several private security contractors that were hired at a grossly inflated price to combat these pirates. These contractors were each armed with gear similar to SWAT teams, including body armor and an M-16 assault rifle. In addition, they provided assault rifles to every sailor on the ship, even if they had never held a gun in their life. As sailors responded to the alarm that now blared all over the ship, they came pouring into the officer and crew quarters just outside the main deck. They were all so nervous and the first thing the contractors did when they arrived was shove a rifle into their hands. It did little to set their minds at ease.

"I uh…I'm not sure how to shoot one of these," said one of the sailors as he fumbled with the gun somewhat.

"It's not that hard. Just aim and shoot!" barked one of the contractors.

"And don't bother with warning shots either," said the Captain. "These aren't the kind of pirates looking to boost DVDs and smart phones. They call themselves the Red Horizon and they're much more _ambitious_."

"Ambitious how?" asked one of the other sailors anxiously.

"A friend of mine had his ship jacked by these bastards earlier this year. They didn't just make off with enough loot to fund their own fleet of private jets. They left half the crew dead, maimed, or worse."

Now the sailors were even more nervous. Some were practically trembling, now clinging to their assault rifles and praying to every god they could. Only the captain and the contractors seemed eager to confront these pirates. They had no idea how overmatched they were and Clark had no intention of having them find out.

"Hey greenhorn! Stop hauling boxes and grab a rifle! It's about to get ugly out there," yelled the Captain as he grabbed as many clips of ammo as he could carry.

"That's okay. I'll take my chances," said Clark, who didn't even make eye-contact with him or any of the other sailors.

"You must have a hell of a death wish kid. These ain't no Jack Sparrows we're dealing with here. They're the kind of guys that eat greenhorns like you as a light snack!"

"Quit trying to scare me, Captain. I'll fight if I have to, but on my own terms."

The Captain just shook his head, not bothering to argue with a greenhorn who he just hired a few days ago at the docks. That was just fine with Clark. He didn't need them paying more attention to him than they already had. As far as the Captain was concerned, he was just some runaway drifter who was looking for a steady job and a few square meals at a port in Baltimore a week ago. He got hired on the spot because experienced sailors were in short supply. Stories about pirates attacking ships around the coast of Africa and the Mediterranean had been all over the news in recent months, discouraging anyone from taking a job on any ship larger than a fishing boat. For Clark, it was the perfect opportunity.

He had been keeping up with these pirate attacks for a while now. They had been ransacking cargo ships, killing dozens of innocent men and preventing countless tons of goods from reaching their destination. The last ship the SS Red Horizon hit contained food and medical supplies for several impoverished nations in Africa that desperately needed it. Thousands died as a result, putting these pirates at the top of Superman's hit-list.

As soon as the SS Cato left Baltimore, Clark kept as low a profile as possible. Clark spent most of his time carrying out the menial jobs of an underpaid greenhorn, which involved moving around heavy crates, doing inventories, and cleaning the bathrooms. He almost always wore a hat and a jacket, making sure he would be as forgettable as possible to the crew. But when he wasn't working, he kept to himself, waiting for another opportunity to be Superman. After biding his time for days, he finally had his chance.

"Time to test out Superman's sea legs," said Clark.

While sailors and contractors made their way to the bow of the ship, he slipped away into a nearby storage closet. Once inside, he removed his jacket and hat, revealing his blue shirt with the distinct red S. He also donned his red cape, which he kept tucked behind his shirt. The only thing he didn't change were his jeans and boots, which he modified to endure the kind of punishment that Superman often encountered. He had plans to create a more complete suit, but there was only so much style a 21-year-old like him could afford at the moment. He was still very new to being Superman, but he was learning quickly.

Shortly after he stepped out of the closet, he heard a few loud bangs with his super-hearing. He also felt the ship rock slightly. Something just hit the side of the ship and hit it hard. It was probably something the contractors hadn't equipped themselves for. With the alarm still blaring, Superman used his super-speed to ascend a few flights of stairs near the main deck. He then punched his way through a locked compartment and jumped up to the roof of the deck, which was the highest point on the ship. This gave him an unobstructed view of the incoming threat.

"Whoa…and they thought I had a death wish," said Superman.

The pirates certainly didn't look like pirates in that they didn't have bears, eye-patches, or peg legs. They were all dressed in these full black body suits with orange masks. Judging by the bulk of the suits, they were heavily armored and probably pretty resilient to the assault rifles the contractors wielded. In addition to their armor, they had some pretty powerful weapons of their own that looked much more advanced than an M-16 or any rifle a legitimate contractor would wield.

'_Okay Clark, this is what you wanted. You thought you were ready to take on pirates, but are you ready to take on these guys? No pirate I've ever heard of packs a Lexcorp MI-62 assault prototype. Those things are like miniature rail-guns, capable of shooting a peanut through a brick wall. There's no way the Captain and his men can defend himself against that.'_

Using his telescopic vision, he saw the Captain and his men running right into a trap. They had no idea just how overmatched they were. They all made their way to the starboard side of the ship where the pirates were approaching on what looked like modified speedboats. Then the ship was hit with another hard jolt. That's when Clark noticed something else in the distance.

'_That must be the SS Red Horizon. No self-respecting ship has a paint job that bad. And if this morning fog isn't playing tricks on me, that's another rail gun mounted on the bow. Can't tell if it's another Lexcorp prototype that magically disappeared, but it's packing the kind of firepower that could sink this ship in one shot. This is going to take more muscle than I thought.'_

He held onto a nearby support beam to keep until the ship stopped rocking. He then made his way closer to the starboard side of the ship so that he was in a position to strike. By then, the Captain and the contractors had reached the area. They all had their guns ready and were prepared to defend their ship, taking cover behind anything they could. The contractors stood near the front lines while the nervous sailors stayed further back, nervously waiting for the first shot to be fired.

"No matter what happens, don't let these overgrown piles of whale shit set foot on this ship!" ordered the Captain.

"According to our contract, we get a bonus for every dead pirate. I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for a big payday!" said one of the contractors.

"Any chance we'll see any of that bonus?" said one of the sailors.

"Fat chance," scoffed another.

The next few moments were tense. It was hard to see over the edge of the ship. A light fog along with a thick overcast had blanketed this area of the Mediterranean for two days now. They were expecting the pirates to scale the ship with grappling hooks and ladders. But Superman could already see that they were in for a rude awakening.

As soon as the pirates on the ships were close enough, he saw one of the masked pirates give the thumbs up to two dozen other pirates. They all nodded and then activated something in their suits that allowed them to scale the ship without the aid of any rope.

"Jet packs…figures," said Superman.

When the two dozen pirates ascended into the foggy skies, they took everyone by surprise. They didn't even get a chance to shoot their guns. Some of the sailors even dropped their rifles upon learning how under-equipped they were.

"_Attention! We have a message to deliver, courtesy of the SS Red Horizon," _said one of the pirates through a speaker in his mask.

As soon as the pirates settled into a steady hover, they each aimed their weapons towards the deck. But instead of firing bullets, they fired a lone grenade from a compartment on the weapon. When they hit, they erupted in a loud burst that unleashed a thick cloud of noxious smoke over the area. This cloud of smoke quickly grew, taking up a sizable portion of the starboard side of the ship and incapacitating every sailor and contractor it encountered.

"Fall back!" yelled the Captain.

"Aagh! Shoot them!" urged one of the contractors.

But only a few shots rang out. None of them hit the pirates of the SS Red Horizon. The smoke obscured their vision and burned their lungs, forcing everyone to retreat. They were now easy prey for the pirates, who already had their rifles pointed at the fleeing sailors.

"_This ship is now under our control," _the pirate from before announced. _"We have a rather long shopping list and our captain is rather impatient. So if you wish to see dry land again, do as we say. Or don't. We could use the target practice."_

Superman had seen enough. He knew their tactics. Once they scattered the crew, they took out anyone with a gun and any ranking officer. Those foolish enough to fight back would be shot while those foolish enough to surrender would be taken captive and held hostage. They were ruthless, even by pirate standards, so Superman skipped the part where he gave them a warning.

'_These guys don't mess around. I need to take care of this quickly and cleanly. That means timing this just right.'_

He jumped down from the roof of the deck, landing on top of a large metal crate that overlooked the starboard side of the ship. While the sailors and contractors fled, he waited for the pirates to land. But before their feet could touch the ship deck, he took a deep breath and unleashed a blistering gust of wind with his super breath.

It hit the pirates with the force of a hurricane while blowing away the smoke, allowing the crew to breathe and get away. It caught both crews completely by surprise and it didn't take long for some to trace the source.

"Whoa. Who the hell is that?" gasped the Captain.

"Don't know, but he's not on our payroll so he's not getting the bonus," said one of the contractors.

While most ran away, some lingered behind. After he finished his attack, he turned towards the captain.

"Get back to the main deck and secure every access point! Get this ship moving again and contact the nearest port," he told him. "I'll take care of these clowns."

"You sure you can take all of them?" asked one of the contractors.

"Positive," said Superman confidently.

That was good enough for the captain and everyone else that wanted to get out of this in one piece. The ship's crew couldn't get away fast enough, just as Superman had hoped. The air now clear, Superman jumped down to another stack of crates, using his powerful leg strength to get him closer to the edge of the ship.

As he looked down at the choppy waters below, he saw that most of the pirates ended up in the water. Their jet packs had either failed or they couldn't regain control. The two boats that had brought them to the ship were already pulling away. They already knew something had gone horribly wrong and attempted to retrieve the downed pirates. However, a few pirates had managed to escape his initial attack and were able to reorient themselves for another attack.

"Looks like these ships are hiring freaks now for protection," said the pirate that initially announced their presence to the crew. "We must be _that _good."

"After a stunt like that, you still think we can board the ship?" asked another who hovered right next to him.

"Hell no! We'll just have to do this the hard way," he replied. "If you're not swimming in saltwater, shoot the kid in the blue shirt! I'm going to radio the ship and order in the knock-out punch."

At least six remaining pirates flew in lower, using their jet packs to make themselves moving targets as they took aim at Superman. They unleashed a hail of bullets on him. As he suspected, these were the kinds of bullets that flew faster and hit harder than most. While they would have gone right through the body armor of the crew and contractors, they did little more than scratch Superman.

He put his arms up to block the initial wave of bullets, keeping his eye on what he assumed to be the field leader. He could already hear him making a call to the ship out in the distance. Preferring not to find out what he was requesting, he had to make quick work of these pirates.

"So you guys like punching people you know can't hit back?" said Superman, "Then I think you'll appreciate _this_!"

Using his powerful legs again, Superman jumped up into the foggy skies and struck two of the pirates as they flew by. He made sure he hit them right in the back, disabling their jet packs and sending them crashing into the choppy waters below. Two more tried to fly in and hit him as he fell back to the ship. He made sure they didn't even get a shot off, using his heat vision to disable the guns and damage their jet packs.

By the time he landed back on the ship, the two other pirates were trying to get higher. However, they didn't get high enough. Superman landed on top of another crate and with more leg power this time, he jumped up to catch them both. He ended up knocking their weapons out of their hands and grabbing them by their necks. Were they not wearing masks, they would probably be pretty horrified.

"Stick to fishing, guys. People have enough reason to get seasick without pirates like you running around," warned Superman.

He reinforced his message by slamming their head together in a way that left the moderately concussed and unable to cause any further trouble, at least for today. He then threw them back down into the water where they could be picked up by the others. However, there was still the issue of their field leader. He had to move fast before he could get his message to the other ship.

"Yes, you heard me correctly! I said fire the rail gun at full power! Sink the whole damn ship!" he barked.

"Oh no you don't!" said Superman.

Using his heat vision again, he fired at the field leader, who was still hovering a few hundred feet away from the ship. He managed to hit the communicator on his wrist, which left him fairly burned.

"Argh! My arm!" exclaimed the field leader, now clutching his wrist in pain.

"And just to be extra cautious, I think you should take a dip with your friends."

Superman then jumped up to another shipping container that was stacked higher and used his super breath again the send the now wounded pirate tumbling into the water. Now the entire crew of the SS Red Horizon, as they called themselves, were at the mercy of the choppy waters below. Most of them weren't wounded, except for their pride. He initially intended to grab some cargo nets and wheel these thugs in so that the authorities could deal with them. But when he used his super vision to check on the SS Red Horizon, he saw that the situation had become much more volatile.

'_Damn! That rail gun is already loaded and charging up. I now get to put my A-plus in AP Physics to good use and crunching some numbers in my head. I don't need to finish the calculations. I already know that at those power levels, this ship doesn't stand a chance and neither does its crew. I need to disable it. That means throwing a different kind of physics into the mix.'_

With only moments to act, Superman clenched his fists and prepared his legs for one more jump. He crunched more numbers in his head, calculating the amount of force he would need to get to the SS Red Horizon and the amount of force he would need to deliver in order to thwart their attack. This promised to test his strength in a major way. Ever since he donned his cape and left his life in Smallville behind, he had been testing himself. So far, he had risen to the challenge every time and he didn't intend for this to be any different.

"Here goes," said the Man of Steel intently. "It's times like this I wish I could fly."

With his knees bent and his feet planted firmly on top of the shipping container, Superman launched himself up into the foggy skies and towards the SS Red Horizon. He saw the pirates still swimming around in the water looking up at him in shock. He even saw other pirates on the deck of the SS Red Horizon watching as he descended towards their ship on a direct collision course with their rail gun. They must have some proficiency in physics as well because they began running as soon as he came into view.

"We've got incoming!" yelled one of the pirates.

"Shut down the gun! Shut it down now!" yelled another.

But it was too late. The massive rail gun, which was the size of a small building, was already glowing around the base. He could hear the hum of the immense energy building up, triggering sparks around the barrel. From the looks of it, they had overloaded it. That would only ensure that stopping this blast would be extra destructive.

'_This is going to hurt me as much as it's going to hurt them…hopefully.'_

As Superman closed in on the massive cannon, he led with both fists out in front of him. He then closed his eyes and braced himself. Time slowed down and everything became quiet. He no longer heard the sound of the air flying by him, the anxious cries of the pirates, or the hum of the energy. He only focused on stopping this blast, saving the cargo ship, and ensuring these pirates didn't harm another vessel.

When the rail gun fired, he delivered a single punch that struck the projectile with a force that shattered nearly the entire front half of the ship. It triggered a massive bang that echoed for miles in every direction, crippling both the weapon and the ship. It all happened within a fraction of a second. In an instant, Superman could sense the ship around him coming apart and every pirate that valued their own lives seeking refuge in the choppy waters. Then, in the instant that followed, everything went dark.

* * *

**Later**

"_No matter how strong you think you are or how weak you think others might be, you're gonna get hit and you're gonna get knocked down. That's why you don't throw the first punch unless you have to."_

The sound of Jonathan Kent's voice roused Clark from his unconscious state. Even in death, his father found a way to lecture him whenever he did something foolish. Ever since he started being Superman, he had been proving his father right at every turn. Between his massive headache and sore muscles, he could once again say his father had been vindicated.

"Ungh…you've made your point, Pa," groaned Clark.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the sun. The next thing he noticed was that he had washed up on a beach. He could feel wet sand on his back and waves crashing up under him. Still dazed and disoriented, Clark managed to roll over and crawl his way up the shore, coughing up salty seawater along the way. Near as he could tell, his clothes were still intact, albeit badly stained. His boots had somehow flown off at some point and his jeans had some tears in them. The only piece still fully intact at this point was his cape, but being intact was only part of the problem.

After making it above the shoreline, he got a better view of his new surroundings. He had washed up on some sort of tropical island. Ahead of him, he saw a row of palm trees and thick bushes. Beyond the trees, he saw a line of hills and rocky cliffs. Beyond the trees he could hear the sounds of various animals and even some running water, most likely a river that flowed from beyond the cliffs. Near as he could tell, it was deserted. There were no pirates attacking him. He didn't even see any debris from the ship, meaning he probably got knocked pretty far off-course. For all he knew, there was no other island or ship for miles.

"Shipwrecked on a tropical island with nothing but beaches and trees…I suppose there are worse places to be stranded," sighed Clark.

Still sore from the blast, he rolled onto his back again and looked up at the midday sun. Just lying on a beach, soaking up the healing rays of the sun, was the first step towards getting through this ordeal. It might end up being the closest thing Superman got to a vacation. He began to close his eyes in hopes of getting some much needed rest.

That's when he heard some rustling from the bushes near the trees. Before he could even raise his head, someone jumped out and pounced on him. The next thing Clark knew, someone had a foot on his chest and an arrow pointed right at his face.

"Me and my big mouth," he groaned.

"You are trespassing! Men are not welcome on Themyscira! Explain yourself before I let my arrow do the explaining for you!" said a commanding voice.

At first, he couldn't make out the appearance of the figure in the blinding light of the midday sun. But as he shook off his daze, his vision cleared. That's when he realized that he hadn't been attacked by another ruthless pirate. Instead, he was looking up at a girl. And while it could have just been the lingering effects of being shot by a high-powered rail gun, she had to have been the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Clark had to blink a few times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. This woman was definitely no pirate. She had long flowing dark hair and wore what appeared to be a toga. She was also young, probably no older than 17, but she had a body that a woman of any age would envy. From her round hips to her perfectly proportional breasts to her unblemished skin, her every curve was a testament to all things feminine. In addition to those curves, she was remarkably toned. Her arms and legs bulged with the kinds of muscles that only professional athletes sought.

But this display of strength and beauty distracted him from her hostile demeanor. She still had an arrow pointed right between his eyes and she had a look on her face that reminded him of a hardened soldier. Were she any other threat, Clark would have already mitigated the situation. However, in looking up at this woman, the awkward 21-year-old in him came out.

"Um…hi," he said in what might have been the goofiest tone a man could have in this situation.

"I'm still waiting for an explanation," she said menacingly, the tip of the arrow now touching the bridge of his nose.

"This uh…is really just a big misunderstanding. You see, I was on this ship fighting pirates and there was this incident with a rail gun…"

But as Clark tried to explain, the woman pressed her foot down on his chest even harder. She pressed with more force than anyone, man or woman, should have been capable of. He actually felt his body dig into the sand, like the weight of a sumo wrestler pressing against his chest. It revealed that this woman was no ordinary woman. It also indicated that this island was no ordinary island.

"You're strong," commented Clark, his tone still awkward.

"I know," she replied proudly. "I asked you for an explanation, not an observation."

"I'll be happy to explain myself, but it would be a lot easier if I didn't have an arrow pointing at my head."

"You're a man trespassing on Themyscira, home of the Amazons. You're lucky this arrow isn't lodged in your cranium."

"The Amazons? Themyscira?" said Clark in confusion.

"Do not insult me with phony ignorance! We Amazons are proud warriors, blessed by the gods and trained to wage war against all those who challenge us. And I - Diana, Princess of Themyscira - will rise to any challenge!"

Now Clark was even more confused. It wasn't enough that this teenage girl was both beautiful and tough. She was also a princess. He shouldn't have found that attractive, especially with an arrow still pointed at his face. Yet the young man in him couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Diana…can I call you Diana? Or would Princess be more respectful?" asked Clark in as friendly a tone as possible.

"Call me what you will. It will not grant you mercy in battle," said Diana.

"I'm not here to battle you," he said in a calmer tone. "Besides, I would never battle a woman, especially a beautiful woman like you."

"Your flattery won't earn you any mercy either," she scoffed. "What do you take me for? Do you really believe I cannot best you in battle?"

"What? No, of course not! I mean I don't know you or how strong you are, but…"

Diana pressed her foot down on his chest even harder, so much so that it would have probably shattered the ribcage of an ordinary man. She didn't even break a sweat doing it, hinting that she was capable of much more. His efforts to defuse this situation were failing miserably. He forgot that charm wasn't one of his superpowers. Growing up in Smallville, Lana Lang and Pete Ross reminded him of that on a regular basis. Having never dealt with such a girl before, he needed a different approach.

"I'm strong enough to defeat any man!" she barked, her heel now dug right into the center of his chest. "I don't care if Hades himself sent you. I will _not _let you harm my mother, my sisters, or my home!"

"Whoa! Take it easy. I'm not here to harm anyone. I promise," assured Clark. "Why would you even think that?"

"You're a man, are you not?"

"Well yeah, I am. Granted, I'm not a typical man, but I am a man last I checked."

"Then what business could you possibly have on Themyscira other than attacking my sisters and pillaging our land?"

"I already told you, I just washed up here by accident. I have no desire to attack you, your sisters, or your home. I'm not sure what other men you've dealt with on this island, but I'm not one of them."

She finally let off somewhat, allowing him to breathe a little easier. But she kept the arrow pointed at this face, not willing to let him off that easy. Her hostility gave way to conflict. He sounded sincere in every word. Clark didn't attempt to push her off, keeping his hands firmly by his sides in as non-threatening a manner as possible. He refrained from saying anything else, if only to avoid sending the wrong message again.

'_She's easing up. That's a good sign. Listen to your father's advice this time, Clark. Don't throw the first punch. Just treat her like a lady…a tough, beautiful lady willing to shoot you in the face with an arrow.'_

Diana maintained a firm grip on her bow, still ready to end this man in an instant should he dare challenge her. But he showed no inclination to attack her. She saw no malice in his eyes. She definitely saw some level of attraction. That was to be expected. Her sisters told her men were amorous creatures, even at the most inopportune moments. Her sisters also told her that any man who somehow ended up on their shores could only be seeking trouble. By the Amazon Code, he was to be subdued or slain on the spot.

Her hands actually trembled. Her hands never trembled when staring down a foe. Everything she sensed from this man indicated that he did not seek to harm her or her sisters. To strike him was to strike an innocent, but she had been taught to assume that no man was innocent. It felt so wrong, especially now. In the end, her adherence to the Amazon Code won out.

"You're a man. You lie!" she exclaimed.

She pulled the bow up a little farther, making sure it had plenty of force behind it. Then she let it go with enough force to penetrate the skull of an angry bull. Yet to her astonishment, and the dismay of the man, the arrow bounced right off him. It didn't even leave a scratch.

"Um…ouch?" said Clark, even though he barely felt it.

Diana was so startled that she stumbled back, releasing her foot from his chest in the process. It allowed Clark to finally rise to his feet.

"That arrow was tipped with sharpened steel! Yet you are unharmed?" she gasped.

"Yeah, maybe I should've mentioned that too. I'm pretty durable," said Clark, still trying to come off as non-threatening.

"No man is _that _durable," retorted Diana, who quickly took a defensive stance.

"Well like I said, I'm not a typical man."

He decided to demonstrate this. He reached down and grabbed a handful of sand. Then, using a combination of strength and heat vision, he crushed it his hands to form a solid orb of glass. He even carved an S in it to give it signature of sorts. It was a trick he learned back on the farm in Smallville. It came in handy when fixing cracked windows. It also nicely conveyed the extent of the power he wielded and his control over it.

When he finished the orb, he casually tossed it over to her. Diana instinctively caught it in both hands. It was still hot, a sign of the sheer force involved in its creation. She wasn't impressed by much, having grown up on an island of immortal women governed by gods. But seeing this man forge such a thing using power fit for the gods themselves, it struck her in a profound way.

"Such power and artistry," gasped Diana.

"It's not much. I didn't want to overdo it. I try not to use more power than I need in a given situation," said Clark.

"You mean you're capable of even _more_?"

"Much more," he answered. "To be honest, even I'm not even sure how far my powers go. I'm kind of still learning about them. It's been that way since I was a kid."

The humility in his tone was astounding. It shouldn't have even been possible. Diana stared for a moment at the glass orb in her hands. Then she looked back at the man standing before her. If he spoke the truth about the power he wielded, then that had some distressing implications, some of which flew in the face of everything she had been taught about men.

"So you have all this power and are capable of much more…that means you knew my arrow would not harm you," said Diana, her hostility giving way to a very different demeanor.

"Well I didn't know for sure, but I was pretty confident that I would be okay," replied Clark.

"Then that also means you could have escaped my grasp at any time. You also had the element of surprise. If you wanted, you could have subdued me. I would have been at your mercy. Yet still, you did not attack me. Why?"

"I already told you. I don't want to hurt you. I didn't come to this island to hurt anyone. I washed up here by accident. All I want to do is find a boat, get back to civilization, and get back to fighting the people who deserve it."

He said these words as though they were obvious. But to Diana, he might as well have said the most ridiculous statement ever uttered. She now looked at him with such intrigue and awe. It made him blush somewhat, which was no small feat for Superman.

Diana took a few steps closer to him, this time with no hostility whatsoever. She stood so close that if he wanted, he could have attacked her and caught her completely off-guard. But again, he didn't. He truly had no desire to harm her or her sisters. This man that wielded such extraordinary power did not seek to use it to subdue others. It defied everything she knew about men.

She had heard stories from her sisters about how men lacked compassion and would exploit anyone and anything they could if given the chance. That especially pertained to women, as Hercules and his men so viciously demonstrated. She saw no such inclinations within this man. If anything, she saw nothing but honest humility. This both astonished and intrigued her. She had to know more about this man.

"What is your name?" she asked him.

"Right, I knew I was forgetting something," said Clark in a humored tone. "My name is Clark Kent. Well, my birth name is Kal-El. My adopted parents named me Clark. You can call me whichever you want."

He didn't usually share that kind of personal information with anyone, let alone a stranger that had just attacked him. In fact, he hadn't told anyone his Kryptonian name since his adopted parents died. But for some reason, he found himself blurting it out to this woman. There was just something about her that made him feel comfortable sharing his identity.

"Clark…Kal…it's nice to meet you. And I say that having never thought I would say it in the presence of a man," said Diana, now sounding awkward for the first time.

"Nice to meet you too, Princess," said Clark with a welcoming smile.

"Actually, I would prefer it if you call me Diana," she found herself saying.

"Very well, Diana it is," said Clark politely.

"And while I'm saying things I never thought I would say to a man, I suppose I should also apologize for attacking you."

"That's okay. I'm kind of used to being attacked. And most of those attackers don't have the good sense to apologize so thank you for setting yourself apart."

"You're very forgiving, Kal-El. Yet another trait I'm not used to in men, or women for that matter."

"Well I guess we're finding all sorts of ways to surprise each other," joked Clark.

Diana laughed at his remark. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed. Between training, chores, and combat, there was very little laughter on Themyscira. She also found herself admiring his smile and his various manly features, which caught her off-guard somewhat. Amazons weren't supposed to admire men, even if they were funny and kind. It further heightened her intrigue with this man.

"Before we face any more surprises, I sure could use some help getting off this island," said Clark. "You mentioned there were more like you on this island. They wouldn't happen to have a boat they could lend me, would they?"

"We do have boats, but I don't think my sisters would lend it to you," said Diana in a more serious tone. "By the letter of the law, you are a trespasser on Themyscira. That means any Amazon that sees you is required to either subdue you or slay you."

"Then I'll just explain myself to them like I did with you. It doesn't have to get ugly."

"No, you don't understand. My sisters will not heed the words of any man. To them, the sound of a man's voice contains only lies and deceit. They would sooner attack you where you stood. And unlike me, they would not hesitate."

"Even if I don't fight back?" asked Clark.

"It doesn't matter what you do. You might be durable enough to endure an attack by one Amazon, but an attack from an army of warriors that are older and more experienced than me…that might be too much."

She almost sounded worried about him. Clark wasn't used to anyone worrying about his well-being. This woman kept looking at him as if he were something rare and unique. Being the last of his kind, this was very true. However, she saw in him a different kind of uniqueness, as though he had something that she wanted to protect. And since he shipwrecked on this island, which was apparently full of hostile female warriors, he needed that protection. He wasn't used to that either, but he certainly didn't mind it.

"For the moment, I see only one recourse. I will gather materials from my village and help you construct a ship," said Diana.

"Sounds like a tedious plan. But if that's the best option to avoid hurting anyone, I'll take it," said Clark.

"I can't promise I'll be a master shipbuilder, but I can promise to make your stay here as comfortable as possible. I will bring you food, tools, and supplies. I'll even show you around this part of the island. It has a few streams and caves that should provide suitable shelter."

"Guess I'll have to treat it like a camping trip in the woods, except hungry bears won't be my biggest concern."

"Which is why I must also insist that you stay on this part of the island," said Diana. "You're actually quite fortunate. My sisters rarely venture to this area. It's remote and lacks good fishing. I'll have to make sure they don't drop by unexpectedly."

"Sounds like you'd be putting yourself at risk," commented Clark.

"I'm the Princess. I can handle it," she said boldly.

"I didn't mean to suggest that you couldn't. It's just…you're really going out of your way for me. Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate it, but I'm not sure I understand why."

That was a question Diana didn't feel ready to answer. Looking at this man, she wasn't even sure she was ready to ask it either. This man's presence was an affront to Amazonian bylaws, but these were the same bylaws that had led to numerous arguments between her and her mother. An Amazon was supposed to fight with honor and follow her heart. Right now, her heart told her that this man was not a threat. He in no way embodied the qualities that she had been taught about men. He had a good spirit and a generous heart. Even if she couldn't answer his question, she understood what she had to do.

"That doesn't matter. All that matters now is that you are in need of help and I am in a position to give it to you," Diana told him. "So long as you are here, I will make it my duty to protect you and ensure your safe departure from Themyscira."

"And I appreciate that," said Clark, who couldn't help but smile at how she spoke with such strength, "I just hope that my presence here doesn't cause too much conflict."

"Don't consider yourself a burden, Kal-El. Some conflicts are worth fighting for and from what you've shown me, you're one of them."

With that, her decision was final. Their fates were now entwined. Clark needed Diana to get off this island and Diana needed Clark to answer these burning uncertainties that had plagued her. Such needs would make them vulnerable in a way they weren't used to, but that didn't bother either of them. They just smiled at each other, ready to face whatever conflicts lay before them.

* * *

**Olympus – Throne Room**

"Father, I must speak with you. It's about the Princess Diana of the Amazons," said Ares in his usual stern tone.

Few things could distract the Father of Olympus from his never-ending duties to maintain the balance between the realm of the gods and the realm of men. While mankind no longer worshipped him, his purpose did not change. He was still the King of the Gods. He was tasked with maintaining order in the face of constant chaos. But even a god wasn't immune to certain complications and this was one issue that forced his attention.

"Ares, if you wish to discuss certain topics with me, you would be wise to find a more tactful way of bringing them up," replied Zeus with a harsh scold.

"You expect tact from the God of War?" scoffed Ares.

"I expect it from my son when he addresses his father," he retorted.

"Well I'm not going to apologize because I know certain topics will always make you react in a certain manner. This is one of them."

"There's a good reason for that," the Father of Olympus pointed out.

"There's an even better reason why your policy of ignoring this matter is a concern," said Ares, "Not just for me, but all of Olympus."

Zeus kept scolding his son, but chose not to argue. He understood better than anyone the frustration that came with debating the God of War. He also understood that this was an issue that was bound to arise at some point. He only wished he could put it off a little longer.

The Father of Olympus had enough concerns at the moment. Most of his time had been spent observing the various vision portals, as the oracles called them, which allowed him to monitor the activities of both the mortal world and the domain of Olympus. He had noticed a steady growth in activity throughout the realms of Tartarus. As the world of mortals grew larger and more complex, it affected the various forces that governed the world of the gods. Managing it had become a challenge. Hades and Poseidon had both expressed their concerns about this growing chaos. With more and more of their power dedicated to managing such chaos, he had precious little energy to deal with this situation.

But Ares wouldn't accept that as an excuse. He continued to forego any sense of tact and walked up to one of the vision portals. With a simple gesture of his hand, he brought up a scene he had observed several weeks ago on Themyscira. It showed Diana battling a succession of older, battle hardened Amazons. Despite being a teenager, she held her own against them, blocking and countering every blow. And every time she appeared subdued, she broke free and kept fighting. As the God of War, there was much to admire about such proficiency in combat. However, in more logistical terms, it was cause for concern.

"I've been monitoring her training since she could walk," said Ares as more scenes played out. "Young Diana's progress in the art of combat is astounding. Even her more experienced peers now have difficulty holding their own against her."

"That's to be expected. She is the Princess after all," said Zeus.

"Whereas most Princesses would be content to live a life of sloth and luxury, Diana is defying expectations as often as she exceeds them. I feel it's worth reminding you, father, that she is but a teenager. Given her current progress, she promises to become quite formidable in adulthood."

"She'll have to be if she is to lead the Amazons one day. I've spoken to Hippolyta on this matter. She has expressed interest in laying out a succession plan. She believes that if Diana can exceed her in spirit and skill, then she should lead."

"That sounds like such a logical plan on paper, but I've reason to believe it is now prone to complications," said Ares.

"What kind of complications?" asked Zeus curiously.

"The kind that could undermine the future of the Amazons. And at a time when chaos between our world and that of mortals is growing, we cannot have that."

Now he had his father's full attention. Ares then instructed the vision portals to display another series of scenes depicting the events that transpired after Diana's training sessions with her sisters. They respected her as a princess and her skills, but they did not hide their discontent. Diana also did not seem to get along with them either. One scene in particular showed her shoving back a couple of Amazons that criticized her, forcing Hippolyta to come in and separate them. This was not an isolated incident either.

"As skilled as she might be, she is somewhat an outcast among her fellow Amazons," said Ares. "They often call her names like Clay and often belittle her opinions. They still see her as a child and one who has not experienced the same hardships as them."

"Such is a common conflict among the Amazons since we granted them their island," said Zeus. "That's the reason why we've limited their birthrate over the centuries."

"But Diana's birth had _special_ circumstances. You of all should know this," said the God of War with a suggestive undertone.

"Be very careful with your next words, my son. Even if your concerns are valid, I will not tolerate your mockery," said Zeus strongly.

"Then I won't belabor the details. I'll just point out that such circumstances, and the poor way in which the Amazons are handling it, can only lead to bigger problems."

"These appear to be problems associated with a teenage girl struggling to get along with her peers. Such circumstances are hardly the domain of the gods," said Zeus.

"You sound remarkably certain of their ability to deal with a teenage girl on an island that has limited experience dealing with them," scoffed Ares.

"The Amazons are bound by a strict code of sisterhood. They have been since they swore their oath to us. They may bicker with one another. They may even annoy one another. But they all understand the importance of adhering to this code."

"I too once took comfort in that knowledge. But lately, Diana has been spending more time alone and less time with her sisters. She is also arguing with her mother more frequently. Now some might attribute this to typical teenage rebellion. I, however, worry that Diana's brand of rebellion might lead her to question her Amazonian upbringing. And unlike her sisters, she has the skill and clout to get away with it."

"Hippolyta won't let that happen," said Zeus strongly.

"And you trust her to deal with Diana appropriately should she undermine that code?" questioned Ares.

"I trust Hippolyta more than I would ever trust you."

Zeus turned his attention away from the vision portals. He even used his power to override Ares, stopping any other scenes from playing out. He had seen enough and had already made his decision. He now looked at the God of War as the King of the Gods and not his father. When dealing with Ares, Zeus understood the importance of leaving no room for ambiguity.

"I know what you're trying to do Ares. You may not be tactful, but you are cunning. That might work on every army of every war throughout history, but it won't work on the Father of Olympus," he said sternly.

"Dear father, you speak as though I have an agenda," scoffed Ares, pretending it was the most absurd notion imaginable.

"You _always _have an agenda, Ares. That's why you can dispense with whatever rhetoric you planned to use because it's not going to happen. You will _not _take Diana under your tutelage."

The God of War's expression quickly changed. He should've expected his father to make such a sweeping judgment. That didn't make it any less frustrating.

"I suppose I was deluding myself when I hoped my father would at least let me state my case," said Ares bitterly.

"You've never had to state your intentions. You're a god of habit. You see a chance to stir up more conflict and you take it. I thought I made it clear to everyone on Olympus that Themyscira is off limits to such tampering."

"This situation could escalate, regardless of our tampering," retorted Ares.

"Even if it does, I would not allow you to make it worse."

"And you would be making a mistake by shutting me out!" said Ares in a harsher tone. "Diana's skill, spirit, and heritage make her more than just a great warrior. Someone of her power whose loyalty to the Amazon Code is in question could pose a direct threat to Olympus. I could make sure that doesn't happen. I could turn her into the ultimate warrior, capable of defeating any foe and thereby preserve the foundations of Olympus!"

"You would only turn her into your puppet," said Zeus, utterly unconvinced by such pleading. "You care only about adding another weapon to your arsenal. That's all you've ever cared about."

"Better a weapon in my arsenal than another agent of chaos."

"That's debatable, but my decision is _not_."

Zeus made sure he got his point across. His eyes glowed with the distinct glow of his lightning bolts, radiating the vast power that allowed him to rule Olympus as he saw fit. It made the whole throne room shake, putting the God of War in a position to which he was not accustomed. In the realm of man, he readily provoked conflict. In the realm of his father, however, he wasn't so ready. This was one war he knew he couldn't win.

"Heed my words, Ares, because I will only say this once. You are forbidden from interacting with Diana or her mother," said Zeus with the full authority of Olympus. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes father. You always do," said Ares begrudgingly.

"Good. Then let me make something else clear," the King of the Gods continued in the same authoritative tone. "Olympus is in an increasingly precarious state. I know at this very moment you're conjuring a plan in your head, seeking a way to subvert my decision. I've been willing to overlook some of past exploits to prevent the gods from waging war on one another, but I can no longer afford such leniency. It doesn't matter if you are my son. Oppose me and I will show no mercy. Do you understand?"

"As much as I'm allowed to, I suppose," sighed Ares.

His disrespectful undertone annoyed Zeus, prompting him to radiate more power. Ares remained firm in his conviction, but he also acknowledged his father's authority. He didn't have to like it. He could despise it for all Zeus cared. So long as he understood, this issue was effectively resolved.

"Now then…see to it we never have this conversation again."

"As you wish," said the God of War, hiding his bitterness

Ares left the throne room, allowing the King of the Gods to fume in peace. However, he didn't leave completely discouraged. He expected his father approached this issue with his usual stubbornness. Obtaining his blessing to reach out to Diana had been a long shot at best, but it did not change the conflict before him.

Whether Zeus liked it or not, Diana's fate would lead to conflict. The King of the Gods might be too stubborn to see it, but the God of War knew it was coming. This conflict would find its way to Olympus and beyond. He just had to make sure he was in a position to have it work to his advantage. All he needed was the right opportunity. Based on what he had seen with Diana, it was only a matter of time.

* * *

**Up next: Secrets and Deception**


	2. Secrets and Deception

**Strangers In Paradise  
Chapter 2: Secrets and Deception**

* * *

**Themyscira – Training Arena**

The life of an Amazon revolved around two things – sisterhood and combat. The sisterhood aspect was more a way of life. There were no classes, aristocracy, or disparity. The worth of every Amazon was earned through combat, struggle, and sacrifice. This created a special bond among Amazons, one that was unparalleled in any army of man. This way of life helped their proficiency in combat. By fighting with great individual strength and a bond that united them all, they were an army capable of defeating any foe, man or beast.

The only Amazon who had ever born rank over another was Hippolyta. However, unlike the kings and patriarchs of old, she was not given her status. She earned it, leading the Amazons from their darkest hour at the hands of Hercules and to their greatest triumphs as defenders of Olympus. In doing so, she had also earned undying loyalty from all her fellow Amazons.

However, that didn't make the act of being queen any less burdensome. Hippolyta learned on many occasions over the centuries that being a queen meant making difficult decisions. But in the moments when she saw the strength of the Amazonian spirit, she proudly accepted that burden.

"Ha! Are you still going easy on me, Daphne? I thought you said you had stopped after my sixteenth birthday," boasted Diana, her voice fueled with the rush of combat.

"Well I usually take a certain amount of pity on immature teenagers, but I'll take your tone as permission to stop coddling you, Diana," responded Daphne.

It was one of the most common sights during the early morning hours on Paradise Island. Shortly after the sun rose, the Amazons went about their day-to-day duties. Naturally, combat training was the most important, ranking higher than sustenance at times. Many Amazons took the time to train at the large training arena near the center of the island. This included even Princess Diana and one of best part of Hippolyta's days was when she watched her train.

At the moment, she was sparring with Daphne, an experienced Amazon who had been training with her since she was old enough to wield a sword. They stood together in a combat circle, as they called it. They wielded no weapons and received no instruction. The only rule in this training session was to subdue the other Amazon and stay within the circle. It was among the most basic of training exercises. Several dozen other Amazons had paired up and were sparring in a similar way throughout the arena. But Hippolyta, watching from a balcony that overlooked this part of the arena, focused only on her daughter.

Despite being the princess and only 17-years-old, Diana carried herself like a hardened warrior. She attacked Daphne with agility and strength, striking hard at her opponent's core, knowing she would defend her head. She landed a few early shots around her waist and shoulder, striking the specific areas she had been trained to identify as weak points. She didn't just rely on her strength and inherent Amazonian prowess. She fought with passion and focus, the very core of all Amazonian combat.

Daphne, despite her durability and experience, was somewhat surprised by the amount of force that Diana was able to inflict with her attacks. She didn't show it. She was too proud a warrior to give her opponent that kind of satisfaction. She just endured and countered, striking Diana with attacks of her own. If she wasn't holding back, then it was hard to tell because the match was remarkably even.

"You still keep claiming they hold back, dear daughter. One day you'll realize they've never held back. Then you'll realize just how strong and how special you truly are," said Hippolyta, smiling with unmatched pride as she watched her daughter fight.

Moments like this still had a way of evoking many emotions from the Queen of the Amazons. Her royal stature faded at the sight of her daughter, who was growing into a powerful young woman that embodied the best of the Amazons. She had trained since birth to be a warrior. She had even been allowed to participate in combat, consisting mostly of skirmishes against beasts and fiends. Before long, she would be capable of much more.

"Keep smiling like that and Athena herself might get jealous," said Aleka, who entered the balcony, still sweaty from her own training regimen.

"Then I suppose she'll just have to cope. It would take the full might of Olympus to keep me from cherishing my daughter," said Hippolyta proudly.

"I wouldn't say that too loud. Certain gods might be petty enough to try."

"And they would still fail," retorted the queen.

Aleka laughed as she joined her queen on the balcony and watched Diana spar with Daphne. She was another Amazon that had earned a great deal of respect from her queen and her sisters. Aleka distinguished herself both in stature and strength. She was taller and had a broader build compared to most Amazons, giving her an intimidating presence that had few equals. She was also very formidable on the battlefield, her ability to attack with brute force being second to none. Such power earned her a special level of respect among the Amazons.

In addition to her strength, Aleka was also fiercely loyal, always going out of her way to prove her dedication to Hippolyta. Because of this, her words carried more weight with the queen of the Amazons than most. Hippolyta trusted her deeply both on and off the battlefield, which helped develop a special rapport between them. This also gave Aleka a keen sense of understanding when it came to her queen's demeanor and she rarely hesitated to point it out.

"While I don't wish to dampen my queen's mood, I wanted to inform you that there have been rumors circulating amongst our sisters," said Aleka in a more serious tone.

"What kind of rumors?" asked Hippolyta.

"The kind that involves distressing words such as 'succession' and 'abdication' in the same breath as your name," she said. "I'm hoping you'll tell me outright that such rumors aren't true."

"And what if they are? Would you then prefer rumors of a titan's attack?"

"Honestly, I would prefer to do battle with an army of titans rather than contemplate you might relinquishing your throne."

"I appreciate such loyalty, Aleka. I always have," said Hippolyta, who kept watching Diana.

"I'm still waiting for you to deny the rumors. Tell me now so I can prevent them from spreading further."

The imposing Amazon sounded anxious, hoping that these rumors weren't true. Hippolyta easily could have lied to her and Aleka would have believed her without question. However, she didn't like lying to her sisters, even when it would have made this situation easier.

Hippolyta's smile finally faded, but she didn't take her eyes off Diana. She and Daphne remained in a stalemate. Daphne had Diana by the wrists and kept trying to shove her back, but Diana had dug her heels in and wouldn't let her. Daphne tried to hit her with a knee to the gut, but Diana endured it with uncanny resilience. Seeing that resilience only reminded Hippolyta of why this issue was so important.

"I'm sorry, Aleka. I can't tell you what you want to hear," she said to her friend and loyal sister.

"I'll settle for a half-truth," said Aleka in disappointment.

"Only the corrupt deal in half-truths. And I can't afford to be corrupt at a time like this," said Hippolyta.

"Even when dealing with a teenage daughter?"

"_Especially_ when dealing with a teenage daughter," she replied. "You and I have been through many battles. You've seen first-hand how those battles have evolved over time. With the world beyond this island becoming increasingly chaotic, the realm of the gods is becoming chaotic as well."

"And you worry that the Amazons aren't strong enough to handle it?" questioned Aleka.

"Not at all," scoffed the queen. "The Amazons are still fully capable of waging war through the darkest pits of Tartarus. I only worry that I will not be strong enough to lead the Amazons with the strength they need."

Aleka looked at her queen with concern. Then she looked back towards Diana, who managed to break Daphne's hold on her by striking her heel to knock her off her balance. This allowed her to gain the upper hand. She took the older, more experienced Amazon into a choke hold and forced her down onto one knee. This demonstrated a level of proficiency that was typical of an Amazon, but not a teenager who had nowhere near the experience of her peers. It gave Hippolyta plenty of reasons to be proud of her daughter, but it also gave her something to consider when planning for the future.

"Watching Diana grow has been one of the greatest joys I have ever known," said Hippolyta, her voice becoming more emotional. "She has the potential to be the greatest of all the Amazons. And with each day that passes, I see her realizing more and more of that potential."

"I want to say that's your motherly bias showing, but I've trained with Diana. I've seen that potential first hand. I even have the bruises to prove it," said Aleka.

"Then I hope you'll forgive me for contemplating a time when I step down from the throne and yield it to someone more capable. Our ways have served us well for centuries, but the world is changing. There must be someone strong leading the Amazons…someone who is not burdened by the scars of the past."

"And you really think Diana could be that great a queen?"

"I have no doubt that she can. It's more a matter of whether or not she will."

"Well why wouldn't she?" asked Aleka. "Is it not her duty to accept such responsibility if it is needed of her?"

"That's my primary concern, I'm afraid. I'm not certain she will accept the responsibilities dictated by the Amazon Code."

This was where some of Hippolyta's pride yielded to frustration. As much as she loved seeing her daughter grow, it was not without challenges. Many of those challenges had come arisen in the past few years and some had not been resolved.

"Unlike most of our fellow sisters, Diana did not endure the horrors that led to the formation of the Amazon Code," said Hippolyta distantly. "She didn't endure the pain and indignation of Hercules and her men."

"She's lucky in that respect. There are times when I still want to crush a rock in my hands when I recall what those animals did to me," said Aleka, clenching her fists in anger.

"We all suffered. And because of it, we understand the tenants of the Code and why it must be upheld. But Diana doesn't understand. More and more, she has been asking questions about it and she is rarely satisfied with the answers I give her."

"She's a teenager. Her understanding is supposed to be limited."

"I want to believe that. I really do. But the more she questions our ways, the more I worry that she won't be able do what needs to be done," said Hippolyta, a slight strain echoing in her tone. "She knows how much I love her. I know she loves me too. She loves all her sisters and will gladly crawl through the pits of Hades for them. I just don't know that she'll do so for all the right reasons."

"Have faith, my queen. No mother in history has given her daughter more love and support than you," said Aleka, offering her queen a reassuring gesture.

"And yet there might still be things I can't give her…things she keeps asking for that I cannot keep ignoring," Hippolyta continued to muse.

"Then she'll have to figure it out on her own. And when she does, trust that she'll make the right choices."

"That's just it. I do trust her. I just worry that her inability to understand what it means to be an Amazon will affect her ability to make those choices."

This had clearly been bothering Hippolyta for some time. Her once beaming smile gave way to uncertainty as she watched the fight between Diana and Daphne unfold. Aleka also watched and while she couldn't understand how this must have felt from a mother's perspective, she did see why this left her queen so conflicted.

Daphne had refused to submit. While Diana tightened her choke hold, Daphne elbowed her in the ribs as hard as she could. It made Diana wince, but she didn't relent. She eventually got desperate and tried to end fight herself by pushing back and trying to shove Diana out of the combat ring. However, Diana was ready for this. While Daphne might have had an edge in strength and experience, Diana made up for it with cunning. She released her grip on Daphne just as she pushed back, causing her to lose her balance and gain too much momentum. This left her vulnerable for a fraction of a second, which gave Diana all she time she needed.

During this moment of vulnerability, Diana hit Daphne with a punishing kick to the core and a heavy blow to the head, which left her heavily dazed. Then she grabbed her again by the waist and used her momentum against her, running her right into the ground so that she fell face first onto the hard concrete. This allowed Diana to pin her and restrain her limbs, effectively ending the fight.

"Yield!" Diana proclaimed.

"I was still…holding back," grunted Daphne, now with blood dripping down her nose.

"Sure you were," the princess scoffed.

It was an impressive display of Amazonian skill. Aleka could easily foresee the day when Diana entered adulthood armed with the skill necessary to earn the title of queen. She could even foresee her using those skills to gain the respect and admiration of all her Amazon sisters. However, she couldn't foresee Diana embracing that role for the same reasons as Hippolyta.

"I can see why you worry," said Aleka.

"I suppose it's inescapable. Being a mother and an Amazon, it's a never-ending battle and I'm not used to fighting battles I cannot win," sighed Hippolyta.

"I respect your dedication, my queen. Although I don't envy your situation."

"It won't be long now before she's an adult. The battle will then be out of my hands. I've given her everything I can possibly give. I've raised her to be strong enough and compassionate enough to face the challenges that lay before her. But in the end, thats still might be insufficient."

"For everything she has become and everything she could potentially be, how could that be insufficient?" asked Aleka.

"Because no matter how much a parent loves her child, they can never control everything about their lives," said Hippolyta as she watched Diana help Daphne back to her feet. "The world of man and gods is full of corrupting influences. I pray to Athena that those influences never tear us apart."

* * *

**Later That Day**

Diana couldn't complete her morning training fast enough. She had been extra motivated to defeat Daphne and complete her chores so she could make her way back to the coast. That added motivation might have even influenced her ability to defeat her. But for once, victory in a fight was secondary. She was just too excited to learn more about Themyscira's secret guest.

After proving that he meant her no harm, Diana had promised to help Kal-El return home. Unfortunately, part of keeping that promise involved a little deceit. While doing her chores, she covertly gathered some tools and materials from the various workshops and storage sheds. This included hammers, screws, rope, fasteners, and saws. In addition, she gathered other supplies to help make Kal's stay more comfortable. She grabbed a spare blanket and pillow from her bedroom, along with some food. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

When she arrived at the shore, Kal-El had already carved out a small settlement for himself. Before she left the previous day, she showed him a cave near a stream not far from the beach where he washed up. This was actually a cave where she often ventured as a child to be by herself and get away from the rigors of Amazonian life. It was small, but fairly spacious. It also had a nice view of a nearby waterfall, which he certainly didn't seem to mind.

As soon as he saw her, he greeted her with a warm smile. Even though he was still somewhat disheveled, he was as kind and as welcoming as their first encounter. Before they got around to discussing how they would get him off this island, she offered him the food she had taken from her home. Together, they sat by the shores of the stream, eating the food and talking amongst themselves. It gave her a chance to learn more about this mysterious man and the world he came from. Diana soon found that the more she learned, the more she realized how much it differed from what her sisters told her.

"This place you speak of – Smallville, Kansas – it sounds so wonderful," said Diana, having already finished her share of the food.

"It's my home. So much of who I am and what I want to be came from the life I had there," said Clark, his mouth half full of mango. "I couldn't have asked for a better place to land after my world was destroyed."

"Yes, this world in the stars…please tell me more about it," said Diana. "I had no idea the stars could be teaming with such worlds."

"Well I only know what my birth parents sent with me. And what I know I still can't quite put into words," said Clark as he set his meal aside. "From what I've seen, Krypton was an amazing world. But…"

His words trailed off. He still had a hard time putting his emotions into words when it came to his home world. Even though he had no memories of it, Krypton still had a place in his heart. Diana offered a reassuring smile and another helping of the mango he seemed to enjoy, which he accepted.

"It's okay. You don't need to say anymore if you don't want to. I probably shouldn't have asked," said Diana.

"No need to apologize. It's something I can't ignore forever," said Clark after taking another bite of the mango. "I'm still trying to figure it all out. I think my birth parents made sure I didn't learn too much too fast. I guess they thought I wouldn't be able to handle everything at once."

"Doesn't that bother you?" asked Diana.

"On some levels, I guess it does. Then I think back to how scared and angry I was when I first learned about my heritage. Everything I thought I knew about myself was shattered in an instant. I couldn't process it, let alone accept it. I wouldn't wish that kind of hardship on anybody."

Clark fell silent as he finished his mango. It had been a long time since he shared this with anyone. The only ones he ever really opened up to about his insecurities were his parents and they were gone. He didn't expect this girl that he barely knew to understand. But she listened to him and even if she didn't understand, she offered him a special kind of compassion.

His struggles were so different compared to that of an Amazon. Smallville, Kansas was like its own island in many ways, isolated from the complications of the larger world. But it didn't train its people to be warriors. It was just a quiet place for men and women to live their lives. In that sense, she couldn't blame Kal-El's parents for keeping these secrets from him. At the same time, it seemed wrong for someone to have their greatest talents and skills hidden from them.

"I'm sorry you had to go through such hardship alone," Diana said to him. "Your ability to endure that hardship is a sign of strength. You should be proud of that strength."

"I am. Well, I try to be," said Clark somewhat awkwardly. "To be honest, it still overwhelms me at times. I didn't actually step up and proclaim my abilities to anyone until recently."

"Well maybe you should. Celebrate who and what you are. Don't fear it. Take pride in it. That's one of the first lessons we Amazons learn. We embrace our strengths and cherish that which makes us unique. Anyone that attempts to hold us back be damned because we're proud of our identity."

"From what you've told me, you and your people certainly don't lack pride. But unlike most people, you earn every bit of it."

"And that's why I believe you've earned more than you believe," said Diana. "You don't even need to be a warrior to realize it."

"No, but I'm sure it helps," joked Clark.

"I never said that it didn't. But so long as you're stuck here, I might as well help you realize it."

"Will that be in addition to helping me build a boat? You're getting pretty ambitious here, Diana."

"I'm a princess. I'm supposed to be ambitious," she said proudly. "Besides, we'll have more time than I initially thought."

"How do you figure?" asked Clark. "Building a ship shouldn't take _that _long."

"Well under ideal circumstances, it wouldn't. And I never claimed they would be."

"And I never should've assumed," sighed Clark.

"Don't worry. I still made a promise and I still intend to keep it," said Diana strongly. "We'll need more tools if you want this ship to be robust enough to handle the rough seas. And I can only acquire so many tools before my sisters notice. That means I'll have to either make them using the forge or win them in competitions. In addition, the winds from the east aren't going to settle for another few weeks. You'll want to wait for the south winds, which should guide you to the nearest inhabited island. So we might as well make the most of it."

Clark didn't assume it would be easy getting off this island. However, he didn't think it would take longer than a few days at the most. Looking at the tools Diana brought with her and noting the lack of materials they had to work with, it now seemed his earlier assumptions had been too optimistic. However, the idea of being stranded on this island with someone like Diana didn't bother him that much.

"You know, I want to be upset about being stuck here longer than I thought, but you're actually making it sound appealing," said Clark with a humored grin.

"Is that a complaint?" she teased.

"Not at all," he assured her.

"Good! Because another important Amazon value is to embrace challenges and even find ways to enjoy them," said Diana. "The day we stop enjoying our struggles is the day we become complacent."

With this value in mind, Diana grabbed Clark's arm and led him over to the pile of tools and supplies she had placed near the entrance to the cave. She picked up a saw and handed him a hammer, not treating it like a chore in the slightest. This was the first man she had ever met and he had proven himself to be a good man at heart. She refused to let him despair while he was on this island, even if it meant pushing him at times.

"Follow me. I'll show you where the best trees grow," said Diana. "Along the way, you can tell me more about the wonders of man's world. I would certainly like to know more about these movies, milkshakes, and sports you speak of."

"And in return, you'll teach me to embrace more Amazon values?" said Clark, who didn't resist in the slightest as she led him up the creek.

"I'll teach you as much as you want. A good warrior is always eager to teach another."

"And a good man is always eager to learn from a pretty girl so I think we'll have plenty to work with."

His kind words made her smile and even blush a little. Diana couldn't remember the last time anyone made her blush with words alone. It excited her and heightened her intrigue. Even though what she was doing, protecting the presence of a man, was a high crime under Amazonian Code, this felt so right and she was intent on sharing as much as she could with him.

Clark clearly was getting more than a ship out of this girl. Her spirit and her energy was infectious. He had met plenty of spirited women before in Lana Lang, but Diana had something special. It felt like she was reaching out to him on a level no one else had. He was her insight into a world she didn't know and she offered a new perspective when it came to dealing with his powers. However long he was stuck on this island, Clark intended to make the most of it.

'_She wants to help me and she wants to teach me. This girl just keeps finding new ways to intrigue me. It helps that she's beautiful too. Probably shouldn't remind myself of that too often. She's still a princess of a tribe of women warriors who hate men. Probably shouldn't remind myself of that either. Just learn from her, take it day-by-day, and see where this goes.'_

* * *

**Day 3**

"Explain it to me again. The quarterback, as you call him, takes the ball from under the center's legs and has to decide whether to throw it or run with it," said Diana as she helped Clark carry a few heavy tree logs back to the camp site.

"Well he doesn't always decide. Sometimes he just runs the play that the coach tells him to run. And he doesn't usually runs with it. He hands it off to someone who then runs with it," said Clark, now questioning whether he was qualified to explain sports.

"That sounds needlessly complicated," she said. "And I'm still confused on the scoring system. Why does a touchdown, as you call it, grant six points again?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that one. I'm not sure of that either," admitted Clark.

Diana sighed and shook her head as she set down the heavy logs near the creek. Clark had spent most of the afternoon trying to explain various sports to her. Themyscira had sports as well, but most involved training and combat. These sports that Clark described, football and baseball as he called them, sounded more elaborate. At times, it distracted them from their task of gathering suitable wood for Clark's ship.

"Leave it to men to create such a convoluted game," said Diana. "It's not enough to just throw a ball around. You need to make it confusing."

"I want to stand up for men as a whole, but even I can't justify some of these rules," said Clark as he used his heat vision to ensure the logs were cut equally.

"I never said I didn't like it. I still think it sounds like a fun game…especially the hitting. I would play it just to get one of those quarterback sacks you speak of."

"Yeah, I had a feeling you would appreciate the hitting," laughed Clark.

"Except I wouldn't bother with pads and helmets," added Diana. "I would wear no armor and let my muscles impart all the force, like a true warrior should. Is it at all possible for football to be played in the nude?"

Clark almost misfired with his heat vision when he heard that. He tried as hard as he could not to laugh. This was something he was still getting used to with Diana and her culture. They were big on feats of strength and didn't shy away from danger. They also didn't place much emphasis on modesty. They were proud of who they were and didn't care what anyone else thought. While Clark found that refreshing, sometimes it went too far.

"Maybe it would be better to just leave that part of the game convoluted," said Clark.

"Do you always attempt to dodge an issue when you get frustrated in conversation?" teased Diana.

"I'm not frustrated. I just…think it's better to not belabor certain details."

"Sure you do," she replied, utterly unconvinced. "If it makes you feel better, I won't ask any more questions about uniforms or armor."

"They actually call it padding," Clark corrected.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. I still want to know more and we still have a few more logs to gather. Please tell me more about these games, but only if it involves more hitting and less complicated scoring systems."

This time he couldn't stop himself from laughing. It seemed like a losing battle. Looking at all the logs they had gathered and all the work they had ahead of them, it was probably not a good use of their time, explaining the complexities of certain sports. At least Diana was more enthusiastic about them than most women he had met.

"In that case, maybe I should just skip football," said Clark. "Why don't I tell you about another game called baseball?"

* * *

**Day 4**

"So what did you do after you killed the harpy?" asked Clark.

"Before or after the blood stopped spurting out of his neck?" replied Diana.

"Um…whichever gets the point across."

It had been several hours since Diana began telling Clark about her first battle against an incursion from Tartarus. What started as a trip through some dense brush to gather branches that could be used as scaffolding and rope for his boat turned into a detailed account of Diana's youth. Apparently, Amazons didn't ease young children into combat. They were expected to participate as soon as they were strong enough. It sounded harsh at first, but from what Diana described, she held her own.

"Well to do that, you need to know the context of this battle," Diana continued as she uprooted some more bushes. "Amazons are frequently called by the gods to help contain the chaos that they cannot handle themselves."

"Yes…these gods that are apparently real," said Clark, this revelation still sinking in.

"On this particular incursion, a number of rogue cyclopes escaped from their prison in Olympus. They managed to open a few gateways to Tartarus to unleash a horde of harpies, which helped cover their escape."

"Does that happen often?"

"Less than you think, but more often than we prefer," answered Diana. "While the more experienced Amazons were tasked with taking on the creatures, I was allowed to take on the harpies. Being young and inexperienced, I allowed myself to get separated from the main force and cornered. That's where one particularly lucky cyclops found me."

"And exactly how big was this lucky creature?"

"Big enough to see a young girl like me the same way a wolf sees a wounded chick," said Diana.

"It doesn't sound like you were scared."

"I wasn't. Like every Amazon, I learned to set aside my fear before I entered the battlefield."

Clark tried to picture the scene. A younger, less imposing Diana enters the battlefield for the first time against a horde of blood-thirsty harpies. From what she spent the past few hours describing, it must have been horrifying on so many levels. Then she finds herself cornered by a creature that's bigger, stronger, and capable of swallowing her whole. Yet she never hinted that she showed any fear. She might have just been boasting, as teenagers are prone to do. However, he never got the impression that Diana was being dishonest.

"It was the first time I had to fight for my own survival," Diana continued. "Everything slowed down in the heat of battle. I was still covered in harpy blood and mapping out my attack. The creature roared and kept trying to grab me. I avoided it and tried to stab it, but my sword had been dulled from slaying so many harpies."

"And you said you had already lost your shield at this point so how did you beat it?" asked Clark, now on the edge of his seat.

"I still had my fists and a lasso. That was more than enough," she said proudly. "I admit the creature did get in a few lucky shots. I lost a good chunk of my armor avoiding its wrath, but I eventually turned the tables. It eventually managed to grab me, but this turned out to be a mistake."

"How much blood was involved this time around?"

"Not that much actually," she replied in a humored tone. "It squeezed me hard, but I freed myself by biting its hands with my teeth. Then while it was still thrashing, I climbed up its arm and used my lasso to choke it. The creature still put up quite a fight and I was certainly sore the next day. But I managed to bring it down. When my sisters found me, they were truly impressed. My mother was so proud."

It was one of Diana's most vivid memories. She considered that to be the moment when the warrior within her truly emerged. That battle proved to her sisters that she was not just a coddled princess. She was a warrior every bit as worthy as other Amazons. It was the day she began her transition from being a girl to being a woman.

The idea of a girl emerging from so much war and bloodshed astounded Clark. Its effects showed in the way Diana carried herself. Even as she gathered more branches and hitched them over her back, she conveyed a sense of pride and strength that rivaled any man. Yet she still managed to maintain this aura of compassion and honor. What should have traumatized her only added to her strength. It was the kind of strength he wish he had during moments where he also felt trapped.

"You had quite an interesting upbringing, Diana. Between fighting monsters and becoming this warrior princess, you've found a way to fight through it and come out stronger," said Clark.

"And I didn't even tell you about what I did to the harpies that took my shield," said Diana. "But I think you can figure it out by now."

"I'll use my imagination. It just amazes me that someone who went through so much hardship could still be so kind and caring."

Diana smiled and blushed at his words, which was becoming incredibly common whenever she was around him. But she was getting used to it. Every day, it seemed, she found a new way to astonish him and he found a new way to astonish her. It continued to undermine her assumptions about men, but she had long since stopped caring.

"Well I'm equally amazed that a man of such power can still be so noble so we're even," said Diana.

"I don't know about that. From what you've told me about the challenges you've faced, I think it's safe to say you've got me beat," said Clark.

"Don't mix flattery with humility, Kal. It doesn't suit you," she teased. "But if you're interested in catching up, I would be happy to teach you a few warrior techniques."

"Learning to fight from a warrior princess whose idea of a playground is a battlefield…I'd like that."

* * *

**Day 7**

"Your technique is still a little weak, but it's improving," remarked Diana as they entered their second out of training.

"I haven't gotten a faceful of sand in nearly a half-hour. I like to think I'm doing more than just improving," said Clark.

"Well I have no intention of sending you off this island unequipped, so you had better improve faster."

She almost sounded menacing, making Clark wonder if it had been a good idea to accept her offer to teach him some Amazon fighting techniques. Then he watched her show him the motions again and he remembered why this was worth getting thrown into the sand on multiple occasions.

Within three days, this became another activity on top of constructing the ship. They had gathered plenty of materials, but Diana still needed to forge some of the necessary tools to help put it together. This gave them extra time to work on these combat techniques. From the beginning, Clark got a harsh reminder that for all his power, he never actually learned how to fight.

Despite this, Diana didn't go easy on him. She showed him everything from take-down maneuvers, grapples, and identifying pressure points on a body. This often involved them sparring on the beach not far from where he washed up. That also involved her demonstrating these techniques on him, which usually ended with him being slammed into the sand. It was a lot to take in, but promised to be very useful. It certainly would have come in handy against the pirates that caused him to be shipwrecked in the first place. And while he could have done without the sand in his face, he made a concerted effort to learn these techniques.

"Watch my hands as I aim for those pressure points I outlined yesterday," said Diana as she skillfully performed every motion. "You must think of your limbs as independent weapons. Let your left go one way while your right does the other. Train them to move on instinct. That way you'll be able to counter any move your enemy makes."

"Speed has never been an issue for me. I could probably stand to refine my instincts," said Clark, standing next to her and attempting to mimic her moves. "I just need to be careful sometimes. With strength like mine, it's easy to hurt someone."

"That's where focus comes in," said Diana. "When Amazons fight alongside each other, they must also be aware of their surroundings. We're constantly outnumbered and overwhelmed. That means we can't afford to hurt one another with recklessness."

"So what kinds of techniques help you with that?"

"Sometimes you need more than technique. Sometimes there's no substitute for experience."

Without warning, Diana turned on him and attacked. She didn't move at speeds he couldn't match, but she was so focused and so swift with her motions that Clark didn't get a chance to pick up on it. She ended up striking him just below his chest at a pressure point that sent a sharp sting up through his body. Unlike the first time she did this to him, he blocked the secondary attack with his right arm dug his heels in so that she couldn't push him off balance.

Another impromptu sparring match followed. Diana went for more pressure points and Clark blocked every one of them. He didn't strike back, staying completely on the defensive. It was a very different approach to fighting compared to what he experienced since becoming Superman, but it felt much more intense.

"Every move…every strike…every block…never lose focus!" barked Diana.

"I won't. Not this time!" said Clark with greater determination.

She kept on attacking, not holding back in the slightest. She landed a few strikes, sending more stings through his body. But he endured every one of them, taking shots that sent him falling flat on his face only two days ago. Eventually, he saw his window to counter. When she attempted to strike at his neck, he maneuvered his upper body in just such a way as to gain the right over her. This allowed him to grab her arm and pull her into a grapple. It was the first time he had ever managed to stop one of her attacks.

"What do you say now? Am I still improving?" asked Clark with a wry grin.

"Somewhat," she said curtly.

Diana then employed a technique she hadn't shown him yet, hitting him in the lower leg with her heel to knock him off balance. This stunned him for only a half-second, but it was long enough for Diana to flip him over and body slam him right onto the wet sand again.

It hurt his pride more than his body, but it sent the right message. He still had a long ways to go. He must have looked somewhat pathetic, lying on his back, looking way more shell shocked than he should have after three days of training. But Diana didn't hold it against him. She just kept grinning and offered him a hand.

"You've made your point. I've got a long ways to go," said Clark.

"All the more reason to keep refining your technique," said Diana as she helped him up. "I might not be able to impart a lifetime of warrior training in just a few days, but I can still guide you down the right path."

"Does it have to hurt this much?"

"Yes…it does."

* * *

**Day 10**

"Incredible! You saved a whole bus full of children from drowning in the river? Even after they treated you so unfairly?" said Diana, once again astonished by another tale of this man's humility.

"I honestly wasn't thinking about that at the moment. I didn't care that Pete and his friends tripped me and stole my lunch. All I cared about was saving them," said Clark.

The sun was setting over the beach and Clark was hard at work carving the hull of his makeshift boat. Diana had been helping him by laying out the keel, but she eventually became engrossed in another one of his stories from Smallville. The more time they spent with each other, the more personal these stories seemed to get. The other day, Diana told him a story about how one of her sisters, Daphne, called her "Clay" after defeating her in a sparring match. It hurt her in a way that she never revealed to anyone, which inspired Clark to share a personal story of his own. And it happened to be one that came to define him as Superman.

"I was going against everything my parents told me about using my powers. They worried that by revealing them to the world, I would make myself a target in ways I wasn't ready for," said Clark, still focusing on sanding down the hull.

"I can relate. Parents have a way of worrying about their children, far past the point of frustration," said Diana distantly.

"But they also taught me the importance of doing the right thing when nobody else can. Every one of those kids would have drowned if I hadn't done something. I was responsible. I had the power. So I used it."

"And how did those other children react?" she asked.

"Well they were so scared and confused that they didn't really see me push the bus out of the river. But I know Pete saw me. From that day forward, he was the first to stand up for me."

"Did he even apologize for the way he treated you?"

"No, he didn't," said Clark.

"He didn't? Why?"

"Because he didn't have to."

While Clark kept working, Diana set her tools aside and thought about the deeper meaning of this story for a moment. As a child, Clark didn't really fit in with his peers. They thought he was too different, but they had no idea just how different. They went so far as to tease him. If anyone did that here on Themyscira, a fight would break out. Amazons didn't take kindly to insults. They didn't seek forgiveness. They sought vengeance. What Clark just described was the complete opposite of what she would have done if she were in his position, yet what he did sounded more righteous.

This boy had teased and humiliated Clark, but that didn't keep Clark from doing the right thing. He didn't even ask for an apology. Diana kept trying to wrap her head around that notion. It clashed so completely with the Amazonian Code, forcing her to look at it from a completely different perspective. Her mother would have scolded her for entertaining such thoughts and so would her sisters. But that only made her dwell on it even more, so much so that Clark noticed her change in demeanor.

"Um…is everything okay, Diana? Did I say something wrong?" asked Clark.

"No. Not at all," said Diana, still somewhat dazed.

"Then why do you look like I just said the craziest thing I could possibly say?"

"Because in that story, you did something I can't see myself doing if it happened to me mere weeks ago," said Diana, still running through the scenario in her head. "What you did that day was right. In fact, it was the most honorable thing anyone could have done."

"That didn't stop my dad from getting upset, but thanks anyways," said Clark.

"What really bothers me though is that had I done what my Amazonian heritage had taught me, it wouldn't just have been less honorable. It would have been for all the wrong reasons. I've never even imagined a situation like that…one where just following the Amazon Code isn't enough. I find it _unsettling_."

"Then maybe we should change the subject and focus on finishing the hull," said Clark.

That sounded plenty appealing. It probably wasn't a good idea to be thinking these thoughts anyways. The Amazon warrior in her urged that she forget everything she just contemplated, but Diana stopped herself before that could happen. These thoughts felt too important to forget.

"Actually, I would rather not. I think it's a good thing it bothers me," said Diana.

"Are you sure? I don't want to make this more uncomfortable than it has to be," said Clark.

"I'm sure. Sometimes it's good to feel uncomfortable. It forces us to look at things from a different perspective. And you've given me many new perspectives to consider."

* * *

**Day 13**

"Hey Kal! Are you up yet?" Diana called out into the cave. "My mother thinks I'm off hunting boars this morning so I can be here all day. I even saved you some of my breakfast if you're hungry."

Not getting a response, Diana looked around the cave for any sign of Clark. His makeshift bed had clearly been slept in and his shirt and cape were neatly folded nearby, which meant he had to be close. She hoped to surprise him this morning. She usually had to wait until the afternoon to drop by, but she managed to beat Daphne in a swordfight, which resulted in her getting stuck with her chores. That meant she had more time to spend with Clark today. She just had to find him first.

She set the food down and started looking around for him. She noticed fresh footprints in the dirt so he was clearly nearby. While remaining vigilant like any good warrior, she followed them from the cave through one of the animal trails leading towards the creek. Diana suspected he must already be working on the boat. She intended her early arrival to be a pleasant surprise. In addition, she found herself increasingly eager to spend time with him. The more she was around him, the more she wanted to be around him. After nearly two weeks, it had gotten to a point where she planned her entire day around it. Since the boat was almost completed, she had been trying to add to that time and she might not get many more days like this.

After following the footsteps to the shore of the creek, she noticed that they shifted direction. They now headed up towards the waterfall that poured into the small pond. Without giving it much thought, she followed the footsteps.

"Kal? Did you hear me?" she called out again.

She moved aside a few bushes and shrubs as she approached the pond, giving her a clearer view of the waterfall. That's when she saw him. However, she ended up seeing way more than she expected.

"By the Gods…" she gasped.

Diana froze where she stood, something she had never done even in the heat of battle, but no battle could have prepared her for this. Standing under the waterfall was Kal, casually washing his hair and rinsing off his body. And when he turned around briefly to run his hands through the thick beard that had grown since his arrival, she got a full view of all his naked glory.

Her mouth hung open in a mix of awe and lurid curiosity. Diana wasn't usually uncomfortable around nudity. It wasn't unusual for her and her sisters to do certain exercises in the nude. It wasn't like male nudity was completely foreign to her either. She had been around farm animals and seen statues of male gods. She knew the intricacies of male anatomy. She just had never seen it like this and she found herself reacting in unexpected ways.

'_Amazing. He doesn't just have the strength of a god. He has the body to match it as well…not to mention the endowment.'_

Diana scolded herself for having such perverse thoughts, but it didn't alter her reaction. It started with a red hot feeling around her face and a sudden dryness in her mouth. Without realizing it, she took a few steps closer to get a better view. After he finished washing his beard, he turned back around, giving her a perfect view of his butt. This caused the hot feeling in her face to spread to other parts of her body. She soon felt weak in the knees, so much so that she shifted awkwardly. It gave her even more reasons to berate herself.

'_What am I doing? I shouldn't be staring at him like this…even if he looks so damn good. I swear those legs muscles are worthy of Atlas himself. And those arms! I've seen him without his shirt on, but I never realized how well they complemented his…'_

Diana closed her eyes and shook her head, forcibly stopping those thoughts before they could become any more lurid.

'_No! How could I be thinking these things? I'm an Amazon for crying out loud! I'm supposed to be disgusted by men. Kal is a good man, but I shouldn't be feeling this…this drawn to him. Should I?'_

That last thought forced her to open her eyes and stare again. Clark had already shattered so many assumptions she once had about men. She had reassessed many of the perspectives she once never questioned. Maybe this was another one.

Part of Amazon conditioning involved learning all the ways men were disgusting. This included physical attributes. She remembered some of her sisters sitting her down and vividly describing the male body. They often compared it with that of a pig, dirty and foul until it was slaughtered. And if the appearance didn't disgust her enough, their inclinations should. She had been told men were selfish, greedy creatures who would gladly slit the throats of ten fellow men just to ravage one woman. Everything they did was part of their unending pursuit to dominate and exploit, which often led to horrific stories of what Hercules and his men did to them centuries ago.

All this was supposed to paint men as vile and seeing one naked should have triggered only revulsion. However, that's not what Diana felt when she saw Kal-El. This man had already given her reason to question the inclinations of men. Now she found herself questioning what she had been taught about her appearance as well.

"Maybe I should," she found herself saying.

She didn't mean to say that out loud. She also failed to realize that she kept inching her way closer to get a better view, which allowed Clark to hear her. When he turned around and saw her, his eyes widened and Diana's awe quickly turned to embarrassment.

"Whoa! Diana?!" gasped Clark, quickly covering his lower regions with his hands and turning around.

"Kal I…didn't mean to say that out loud," stammered Diana.

The proud warrior who never lost her poise, even in the heat of battle, stumbled back and ended up falling flat on her butt just near the shore of the creek. Her face burned hot with utter mortification, along with other parts of her body. She didn't take her eyes off him at first. She ended up having to put a hand up to block her view while Clark retrieved his pants.

He ended up stumbling plenty as well, almost tripping over himself as he grabbed the jeans he had folded on a nearby rock. Since his body was still soaked, he didn't try putting them on. He just held it up to lower body as he emerged from under the waterfall to confront Diana. She looked plenty embarrassed, but she also had this strange half-grin on her face. She might not have realized it, but it indicated that she liked what she saw. That helped take away some of the embarrassment from this moment.

"Uh…you're early today," said Clark with a sheepish grin.

"I didn't know you were bathing! I just came here early because I saved you my breakfast, I swear!" she exclaimed, as though she had just been caught committing a crime.

"Take it easy. You just saw me naked. It's not a big deal," he replied, trying hard not to laugh at the look on her face.

"I…still should've known better. This was so wrong of me!"

"Diana, it's not wrong for a teenager to be curious about the human body. Then again, your circumstances aren't typical so maybe I'm assuming too much. But it's still not wrong."

Once the embarrassment faded, he slipped back behind the waterfall to put on his pants. He said these words in good humor, but he didn't realize just how much his words clashed with everything Diana had been taught. She finally lowered her hand, getting one last brief view of his butt in the process. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her feel that same hotness throughout her body. However, in light of Clark's remarks, it didn't feel quite as uncomfortable.

Diana eventually rose back to her feet. She also found herself smiling as she watched Clark dry himself off with his cape. She had already been drawn to him because of his kindness, humility, and strength. That alone had been quite overwhelming. Now she found herself drawn to him physically. It should have been overwhelming, but instead it felt right. It still clashed with many aspects of Amazonian culture, but that didn't bother her as much anymore. Having had so many of her previous assumptions about men shattered, she began to accept that her experiences with Kal-El would change her.

'_He says it's not wrong. Every instinct I have tells me it's not wrong. Yet I can still hear my mother's voice yelling at me. First my heart betrays me. Now the rest of my body has followed suit. How many more ways will you affect me, Kal-El? But maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe I should be more concerned about how I'm starting to reconsider what it means to be a woman and an Amazon.'_

* * *

**Day 15**

"Wait…back up. I need to hear that again," said Clark, who had to stop working for a moment. "Venelia called you Clay, the name I know you hate with a passion, and you didn't challenge her to a fight?"

"I'm not going to repeat myself. You clearly heard what I said the first time," said Diana, not making nearly as big a deal about it as she probably should have.

"I know what I heard. But from what you've told me about Amazon culture and the way you've dealt with insults in the past, I'm just…surprised that you would do something like that."

"Not as surprised as Venelia, that's for sure."

Diana sounded proud of herself, but she also sounded conflicted. She had arrived to the cave late today. They had recently completed work on the hull of his boat. It took a lot of stolen nails and creative woodworking, but it was almost seaworthy. Now it needed a sail. Diana brought with her a pile of cloth from tattered togas that her sisters had thrown away, providing the necessary material for a sail. But as they went to work cutting them up and sewing them together into a large sheet, she told why she had been late. Apparently, she got into another argument with one of her sisters, but it didn't end the way Amazonian arguments usually ended.

"You know the circumstances of my birth as well as the rest of my sisters, Kal. You know how much I hate being called Clay," said Diana, still pretending to focus on the sail.

"Given the lengths your mother went to bring you into this world, it's a petty insult. But it strikes all the right chords," commented Clark.

"That's exactly why Venelia says it. She knows it'll provoke me. And I always provoked her back, demand that she apologize. She never did. So naturally, we fight to right these wrongs. That's how we defend our honor and resolve our conflicts."

"But that's not what you did this time," Clark pointed out. "What changed?"

Diana finally stopped sewing and looked over at Clark, still conflicted by what had transpired earlier this morning. He hadn't known her for very long, but he knew enough about Amazonian culture to understand how arguments usually unfolded. They didn't just forgive and forget. They fought for vindication. That's what made Diana's actions so startling, both to her sisters and to her. And she never would have even contemplated such actions until recently.

"You did, Kal," said Diana. "These stories you tell me – like how you saved all those children from that bus – reveal a different way of winning a battle. It's a way few Amazons have contemplated because they don't dare question what has worked for so long."

"I feel like I should apologize, but I don't think you would accept it," said Clark.

"So when Venelia insulted me, looking for a fight, I thought about the way I had been doing things and the ways you've been describing. And at that moment, I decided that your way was more honorable than that of the Amazons."

It pained her to say this, but it echoed with truth. Clark set the sail down for a moment and scooted closer towards her. He offered to console her, taking his hand in hers. She lightly squeezed it, still deeply conflicted. He never intended to make her question her culture. She probably never intended helping him to get this personal. But it was too late now. There was no use avoiding it.

"That couldn't have been easy," said Clark.

"It wasn't. I was so enraged. I wanted to fight like I've always fought. I never imagined it would feel so…wrong," said Diana, shaking her head in disbelief as she recalled the situation.

"I won't say that it's wrong. We all have to fight our battles at some point, but that doesn't mean we have to make a battle out of everything."

"Tell that to my sisters. They kept calling me a coward, trying to get me to strike them. If my mother hadn't shown up, they might have succeeded."

"But they didn't," said Clark. "You won that battle by not fighting. I know that seems strange. It sure did to me when I was a kid. But my dad would always tell me that the greatest warriors are the ones that avoid the most battles."

"Is it always supposed to be this hard?" sighed Diana.

"Most of the time it is, but that's usually how we know we're doing the right thing."

It sounded so counterintuitive, but it made sense on some levels. In Diana's experience, the hardest fought battles were the most satisfying. Noble endeavors were supposed to be difficult. Every Amazon understood that. If only they could understand it in this context, maybe they would appreciate it as she had come to appreciate this man's insight.

* * *

**Day 18**

"This wild boar's is great, Diana. Thanks for sneaking it out here to me," said Clark as he bit into a thick leg of meat.

"Well I figured you were getting tired of fruit and bread after over two weeks. I think you were due a treat," said Diana, having already finished her share.

"It's not my mom's famous Kansas barbeque, but it's close. It's probably as close as I'll get so I'll be sure to enjoy it."

Clark continued to devour his dinner, savoring the freshly cooked meat and all its flavor. This had been an unexpected treat. Diana arrived late in the afternoon, having had extra training to complete. But she made sure it was worth the wait. She came with a freshly caught boar, which was a common animal throughout the island. She hunted it down herself, cleaned it up, and promised to cook the whole thing over a fire pit near the beach.

The meal was complete just after sunset. He and Diana had spent the last couple of hours just relaxing in the sand, watching the fire and looking up at the stars. Clark made sure nothing went to waste, devouring every last scrap of meat. With the raft almost done and needing a few more pieces to mount the sail, it wouldn't be long now before he could finally leave. That made savoring moments like this all the more important.

Looking over at the nearly completed boat, Diana also knew he would be leaving soon. She understood that he was eager to get home and had no desire to keep him here any longer than he needed to be, even if she had grown fond of his company. But that meant she had precious little time to appreciate his company.

"Can I ask you something, Kal?" asked Diana.

"Of course. You can ask me anything, Diana," said Clark as he licked some of the meat juices from his fingers. "It's the least I could do for a meal like this."

"It's kind of hard to talk about, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. And it has to do with…well, being lonely."

Her tone became solemn in a way Clark had not yet heard from her. Her usual Amazonian pride and charisma faded in an instant. Now she was just a vulnerable teenage girl, hugging her knees and staring into the crackling fire. Seeing her this way made him feel less like Superman and more like just another vulnerable young man.

"Oh…well I don't know how much help I can offer there," said Clark.

"But you still understand," Diana went on. "You're the last of your kind. And you're adopted parents…"

Her words trailed off, not wanting to say it. Clark made sure she didn't have to.

"I know. They're gone too," he said solemnly.

"It must be so lonely, losing so much and being so different. You're a god among men, yet you embrace them. You don't let the loneliness consume you. And I just want to know…how do you deal with it?" she asked intent.

"Are you asking me because you're curious? Or is there another reason you're not ready to share?" retorted Clark.

"Does it matter?"

She already knew the answer and Clark wasn't going to press her. She could have been asking this question for any number of reasons. He imagined she must feel pretty alone herself, being a teenage girl on an island with so few and being a princess that had to live up to so many expectations. Her circumstances might be very different, but he could still relate in all the ways that mattered.

"I'm not going to lie. It does get to me. After my adopted parents died, I felt like I had lost my world all over again," said Clark, doing his best to remain strong in the face of such harsh emotions. "Other people have friends to turn to and new people to meet. But me…I have nobody. I might be able to make new friends, but I can't share with them who I really am."

"But you've shared them with me," said Diana.

"Yes, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. But before I ever washed up on these shores, I had to learn a hard lesson…one I learned while standing over my parents' graves."

Clark needed a moment as he recalled that fateful memory when he said goodbye to Jonathan and Martha Kent. In some ways, that was the moment where officially became Superman. It was a defining moment and one he hadn't talked about since it happened. But for a girl like Diana, he made an exception.

"We're only as lonely as we allow ourselves to be," said Clark. "The pain of losing someone and being isolated from everyone else is hard, but we only make it harder by letting it define us. I am who I am because of the people who loved me, the friends I've made, and even the strangers I've met. They've all helped me become the man I am now."

"So in a sense, they're a part of you?" said Diana, some of her spirit returning to her tone.

"That's a good way of putting it. So while I may feel lonely, I remind myself that I'm never truly alone. Because in the end, we all affect one another on some level. Some just have a greater effect than others. That's why it's so important to cherish the experiences and memories we have with them."

When he said this, Diana scooted closer towards him. Her solemn demeanor faded and she found herself leaning into the warmth of his body. Even though his hair and clothes were disheveled and his face now had a full-fledged beard, she took such comfort in his presence. Just being near him helped her recall the many experiences they had shared since he arrived. Every story, every mundane conversation, and every intimate detail took on greater meaning.

Clark understood that meaning as well and didn't hesitate to embrace her. It seemed fitting. When she first saw him, she attacked him. Now here they were, sitting by a campfire and sharing a moment. It showed how far they had come. In many ways they had gone farther than they had ever intended, but they had long since stopped caring.

"I guess that's what I'll have to do from this point on," said Diana, now clinging to his arm. "I know you're leaving soon. The boat is almost finished and the winds have started changing direction. It's going to be a lot lonelier without you."

"That's for sure. I'll miss having someone like you to talk to…someone who knows what it's like to crush a rock with my bare hands."

"I'm going to miss you too. I wish you could stay longer or at least find a way to visit."

"On an island where my presence is an affront to the gods? That would be a challenge, even for me," sighed Clark.

"But I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to focus on all the good you've brought into my life. You've given me an entirely new insight into the world beyond these shores."

"Maybe one day, you can see that world for yourself. I'll even make sure to protect it," said Clark.

"I know you will. Being an honorable man and a Superman, I would expect nothing less," said Diana warmly.

Their embrace deepened as thoughts of loneliness gave way to feelings of contentment. With the stars shining above and the fire still crackling, they had all the makings of a moment worth cherishing. That still didn't stop them from entertaining the possibilities of the future.

"And maybe one day, the Amazons will finally forge peace from the chaos. We've been fighting for so long. It needs to end at some point."

"Well maybe you could be the one that makes peace," suggested Clark. "You are the princess after all."

"Easier said than done, I'm afraid," said Diana. "War has a way of hardening some and strengthening others. It certainly has affected my mother in ways she'll never admit. I like to think that growing up as I have and surviving the heat of combat along the way gives me greater appreciation for the peace it preserves."

"If only more warriors thought like that," sighed Clark.

"Well we all can't be great warriors. Sometimes they are born, not made."

"And I guess in your case, they're both. That's only makes you even more special."

She smiled at his kind words, taking strength in them that could not be gained from any battle. He smiled back, embracing her closer and conveying all the ways they had affected one another since his arrival. Knowing Clark would have to leave soon, they practically clung to one another in an effort to commit all the experiences they shared to memory. These experiences created in them so many powerful feelings. They were running out of time to express those feelings.

As they sat together, enjoying the warmth of their embrace, Clark glanced over at her and contemplated those feelings. There were plenty he had yet to express, but there was this unspoken agreement about limiting such expressions. He saw it in her eyes and felt it in the way she clung to his arm. If they shared too much, then it would only make his departure more painful. There were many things he wanted to say and do before he left and time was running out for both of them. He had to decide soon how far this would go because the last thing either of them wanted was for him to leave with regrets.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

'_By the Gods, what is this abomination?'_

Aleka had seen some pretty disturbing sights in her lifetime. She had watched Hercules and his men ravage her sisters and her queen. She had encountered the most blood-thirsty beasts from the foulest depths of Tartarus. This might not have been the most disturbing, but it was close. Diana, the Princess of Themyscira and the Amazon destined to lead them into battle one day, was consorting with a man.

It would have been less shocking if she found out Diana had been keeping a harpy for a pet. Aleka only came out here at the behest of Hippolyta, who had grown concerned about her daughter's recent behavior. She worried that she was spending too much time alone, isolating herself from her sisters to an unhealthy extent. The recent incident where she didn't attack Venelia for calling her Clay only deepened her suspicions. Since she never had a reason not to trust her daughter, she decided to send her out in search of reassurance. Instead, she found the opposite.

"A man…here on Themyscira, corrupting the princess?!" said Aleka with burning anger. "He must be using some form of black magic or deception. That's the only explanation I can digest!"

With the stealth and skill that had led her through countless battles, Aleka moved in for a closer look. She crouched down behind a tree and some bushes, taking care with every step and keeping her hand on her sword at all times. She watched on, ignoring her revulsion every step of the way. She prayed to Athena that this wasn't as disturbing as it appeared. But as the scene before her unfolded, it only got worse.

'_She's…embracing him? She's smiling and laughing in his presence?! Diana, what has he done to you?'_

She gripped the handle of her sword, resisting the urge to jump out and slay this man where he stood. She still didn't rule out some kind of black magic. That's when she heard Diana say it.

"You're a very special man, Kal-El. No matter what happens from here on out, know that you have already carved a very special place in my heart," Diana told him.

"You've certainly entrenched yourself in mine so I guess we're even," the man replied. "How much deeper do you think you can go?"

"As far as we can get away with!"

She actually sounded playful when she said those words. If that weren't bad enough, she was exceedingly affectionate with him, grasping his arm and looking at him in a way no Amazon would dare look at a man. Aleka then realized that this was no black magic. This was something far worse. Diana was genuinely smitten with this man. That meant that this couldn't have happened yesterday. This man had been on this island for who knows how long, infecting the princess with his perverse ideas and undermining Amazon law. Such a transgression could not stand.

'_You foolish little girl, succumbing to the charms of a foolish man. You dishonor the Amazons just by being near him. This will not stand! This man will pay for his transgressions and so will you. By Hera, you will learn that even the princess is NOT above Amazonian law.'_

* * *

**Up next: Royal Decree**


	3. Royal Decree

**Strangers In Paradise  
Chapter 3: Royal Decree**

* * *

**Themyscira – One Day Ago**

"Aleka, do you have a moment? There's something I must ask of you," said Hippolyta, feeling more stressed than usual.

"Of course, my queen," answered Aleka without hesitation. "You know there is little I won't do for you."

"Well this is something I need you to do quietly and covertly. It involves Diana."

Now Aleka shared her concern. Any major issues involving Diana were usually handled privately between mother and daughter. That was how Hippolyta wanted it to be from the moment her daughter was born. For her to get someone else involved must mean something serious had come up.

"Is everything all right with her?" asked Aleka. "You're not still worried about that incident with her and Venelia, are you?"

"No, this is a new concern…one that may or may not be related," said Hippolyta. "I've noticed a change in Diana lately. She has been spending less time with her sisters and more time by herself."

"Has that not often been the case with her since she entered adolescence?"

"Yes, but this feels different. This feels like something more than the irrational behavior of adolescence."

The queen's tone took on a more anxious subtext. She knew the day Diana learned to walk on her own that one day she would enter these formative years. Even Hera had warned her that children tend to become more frustrating during adolescence. She had already dealt with those frustrations on a number of occasions, but they were usually minor and petty. Based on what she saw in Diana's recent behavior, this could be much bigger.

"I really hope I'm wrong. Diana has never given me a reason not to trust her. I just…need some assurance," said Hippolyta, now pacing somewhat.

"Are you still talking to me, my queen? Or are you just thinking out loud?" asked Aleka.

"It never bothered me that Diana would finish her training, do her chores, and run off to the shores. She claims she likes to hunt and fish in that area. I never had a reason to doubt her. But the way she has been carrying herself lately – it troubles me."

"And you want me to confront her?" questioned Aleka in confusion. "With all due respect, my queen, this sounds like an issue that is best addressed between mother and daughter."

"That was my initial inclination. But with each passing day, it seems, I've more reason to worry. She seems much more eager than usual to go off on these _hunts_, as she calls them. And whenever she returns, she has this spirit about her…one that I've seen before and hoped to never see in her."

"What do you mean? And how am I to aid you?"

Aleka remained confused. She clearly hadn't seen it. Hippolyta doubted that any of the other Amazons had seen it. These were the kinds of subtleties that only a mother could notice in her daughter. As she paced, she mused over the possibilities. There could still be a simple, mundane explanation to Diana's recent activities. She prayed with all her heart that this was the case. However, she had to know for sure.

"I want you to follow Diana to the shore tomorrow," said Hippolyta, now speaking with the authority of the queen once more. "I want you to find out what she's been doing these past few weeks."

"Forgive my candor, my queen…but are you asking me to spy on your daughter?" asked Aleka, saying each word very carefully.

"I'm asking you to verify that my daughter is being truthful," replied Hippolyta. "Do not, under any circumstances, let her know of your presence. And no matter what you discover, you are not to act on your own accord.

"What if I discover something distressing? What if the princess is in danger?"

"Just note her activities, Aleka. I'll decide the appropriate recourse if necessary."

She was firm with her words, leaving Aleka with little else to question. While she still had reservations, she nodded and bowed loyally to her queen.

"Very well, my queen. It will be done," said Aleka.

"Thank you, Aleka," said Hippolyta, still very anxious about what she might uncover.

"And as an aside, I feel I must say this…I believe in Diana. I might not always agree with her and or approve of her attitude, but I never doubt her honor or her warrior spirit. Whatever is behind her recent behavior, I have faith that it is nothing egregious."

"I hope you're right, Aleka," said Hippolyta. "I pray to every god on Olympus that you're right."

* * *

**Present Time**

Diana returned from the shore in higher spirits than usual. It was late. A full moon had already risen over the island, but she didn't feel tired in the slightest. The warmth from his embrace and the kindness in his words still lingered, adding fuel to all the complex feelings she had for him. While they had confused her initially, Diana had come to embrace them. Even though he was going to be leaving soon, these feelings would not leave with him. It gave her a whole new perspective, one that promised to change her understanding of what it meant to be a warrior.

As always, she had to be somewhat tactful when returning home. She was a bit later than usual, having claimed that she spent the day hunting and fishing. She even brought her sword and spear with her to make it appear convincing. She passed by some of her sisters, who were going about their various evening activities. Diana didn't see her mother anywhere, which wasn't unusual at this hour. She assumed she was busying herself with the day-to-day duties of a queen. As she made her way to her private quarters, she already began contemplating her next visit with Kal.

'_It's going to be hard saying goodbye to Kal. I wish there was some way we could still meet. If only we had those phones or emails he speaks of. Perhaps there's something special I can do for him before he leaves. It's only fitting that we part with something that'll make us cherish our time together even more.'_

As Diana considered the possible gifts she could give to express her fondness for this man, she casually entered her sleeping chamber. Then, much to her surprise, her mother was there waiting for her, sitting on the edge of her bed with a look that could have rivaled Medusa.

"Good evening, Diana. I trust you had a good hunt," greeted Hippolyta with folded arms.

"Mother…I thought you would be occupied with other matters at this hour," said Diana, trying not to sound too startled.

"What matters could be more important than those that concern my daughter?" she retorted.

"Why is that so concerning? It was just a hunt."

"I know that's what you told me. And I've never had a reason to doubt what you tell me. I like to think that I can trust you as much as I can trust my own heart. So tell me, truthfully Diana…have you really been off hunting these past few weeks? Or have you been consorting with a man who shouldn't be on this island?"

When Diana heard this question, she felt like she had just been struck by one of Zeus's thunderbolts. In an instant, her high spirits turned into the utmost dread. Were this anyone other than her mother, she would have reached for her sword and prepared to defend herself. Instead, Diana could only tremble, something no Amazon warrior was used to doing.

"What? Why would you ask such a notion?" asked Diana, unable to hide her nervousness.

"Don't avoid the question, Diana! I expect that from a fool, but not from my daughter," said Hippolyta angrily.

The Queen of the Amazons rose up and confronted her daughter, looking down at her like a titan looking down at an insect. She listened intently, giving Diana a chance to answer the question. But only silence followed, which was an answer in and of itself.

"Well? Are you going to say anything or can I assume your answers will be equally foolish?" scolded Hippolyta.

"What does it matter? You already seem to know the answers," muttered Diana. "Can I also assume that you've been spying on me?"

"Don't you dare turn this around on me, Diana!" spat Hippolyta. "I cannot believe this. My own daughter, deceiving me and all her sisters! How could you?!"

"Will you at least give me a chance to explain myself before you condemn me?" retorted Diana defensively.

"I don't see how your actions could possibly be justified!"

"Then why should I bother explaining myself? It's true. There is man here on Paradise Island. It's also true that I've been going to see him on a regular basis for the past few weeks."

"And at no point you saw fit to inform me? What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking you would react just like _this_!" exclaimed Diana, her voice becoming strained in wake of her mother's anger. "I know what the Amazon Code says. I know what would happen to him if I told of his presence."

"And you chose to defy it?" scolded Hippolyta.

"He was shipwrecked. He only wanted help. I chose to do what was right!"

"You mean to tell me you believed the words of a man over that of your fellow Amazons?"

"He's not just some man, mother! He showed me in both words and deeds that he is a good, kind soul who means us no harm. You and our sisters would have him imprisoned, tried, or executed. And for what? For being a man? How is that just?"

Never before had Diana dared raise her voice to her mother like this. She had long since stopped trembling and dared to justify her actions, but this only added to her mother's outrage. Within her mother's angry glare, she saw the unyielding dogma that had governed the Amazons for centuries. That dogma would not be easy to confront, even if she was convinced that she had done the right thing.

Hippolyta had to restrain herself, taking a step back and turning away so that Diana wouldn't see the pained look on her face. She shook her head solemnly as a sick feeling emerged within the pit of her stomach. Not long ago, she entertained the idea of stepping down from the throne and letting Diana take over. She actually trusted that she would continue to lead the Amazons and uphold the traditions that had made them so strong. Now here she was, listening to her daughter slander those very traditions. She had sincerely hoped that this man hadn't influenced Diana to the extent that Aleka described. Once again, the whims of a man had hurt her deeply.

"Great Hera, this is even worse than I feared," Hippolyta lamented. "This man has corrupted your thinking."

"Nothing could be further from the truth, mother," said Diana, lowering her tone in an effort to ease hostilities. "If you'll just take a moment to listen to what I've learned from him…"

But Hippolyta didn't care to hear her excuses. She just closed her eyes and attempted to conceal her disgust.

"How far did this abomination go? Did he seduce you? Did you have coitus with him?" she asked.

"What?! No! We did nothing of the sort," exclaimed Diana.

"So you just allowed him to rape your mind?"

"Quit talking about him like he's some sort of beast! He's not Hercules!"

"He's still a man, Diana. His inclinations are not that different from a beast," said Hippolyta.

"You're wrong! Your judgment is clouded, mother. You're using the crimes of one man condemn to condemn _all _men. Can't you see the error in such thinking?"

Diana attempted to confront her mother again, grabbing her arm and turning her around so that she could face her. But to her shock, Hippolyta grabbed her by the wrist and threw her across the room so that she hit the stone wall right next to her bed.

"Aagh!" cried Diana. "Mother! What are you…"

"I'm doing what I must as a queen and a mother," said Hippolyta in coldly.

With a heavy heart, Hippolyta retrieved the special lasso she had strapped to her side. While her daughter sat stunned and shocked, she used it to bind her wrists. Since the lasso was blessed, it could not be broken. Once secure, she gave it a hard tug to force Diana back towards her. She still struggled, but it did her little good. No matter how unruly her daughter chose to be, Hippolyta made clear that she had no authority in this matter.

It was the worst feeling any Amazon could've endured, submission and defeat. Diana struggled with the lasso at first, but it was no use. Looking up at her mother, she saw no sympathy in her eyes. She was now asserting herself both as a parent and as queen of the Amazons.

"This is what is going to happen, Diana. I will convene an emergency meeting with a legion of Themyscira's best warriors," said Hippolyta assertively. "Together, we will formulate a course of action. Make no mistake. We intend to subdue the male trespasser by whatever means necessary, as our bylaws decree. He will then face punishment for his crimes."

"What crimes? Being stranded on an island against his will? Being condemned for crimes he never committed?" scoffed Diana.

"Had he merely trespassed, the gods might have shown mercy. But now his crimes are much more egregious. He didn't just corrupt an Amazon. He turned my own daughter against me. For that, his punishment will be far more severe."

"So you're going to kill him? Just for making me think thoughts you don't approve of?!" cried Diana, her outrage giving way to horror.

"I'm merely upholding our sacred code, Diana. You, of all Amazons, know what that code decrees. You should've known before you allowed yourself to get attached to this man."

Her words were harsh, but not wholly inaccurate. Diana wanted to scold her mother for contemplating such an egregious injustice, but she couldn't deny her role in that injustice. By allowing herself to get close with this man, she effectively condemned him. Ironically, all these wonderful experiences that she had shared with Kal-El could end up being what destroys him.

"By that same code, you will participate in this process, but only as a witness" Hippolyta continued. "You must see why we uphold these traditions. I don't expect you to enjoy it. I don't intend to enjoy my role either."

"That or you'll do a masterful job of hiding that sentiment," said Diana under her breath.

"Nevertheless, this is what the gods decree. This is what we as Amazons must pursue. If you care at all about your sisters and your mother, you'll remember that there is no place on Themyscira for the corrupt influences of men."

There was a sense of desperation within her authoritative. She might have carried herself like a queen, but Hippolyta could not hide her disappointment. If Diana weren't so upset with her or herself, she might have acknowledged it. Instead, she just held her head low and prayed for the strength she would surely need to get through this.

'_Kal…forgive me.'_

* * *

**Early Next Morning**

'_I'm going to miss this place. Even though it's full of a bunch of man-hating warrior women, I'm still going to miss it.'_

Clark took a stepped back and admired his and Diana's work. The makeshift boat they had cobbled together with trees, twigs, rope, and old togas was finally complete. He had woken up early just before sunrise to make the final tweaks. Now, in addition to the changing winds, it was seaworthy. Diana warned him that the waters surrounding the island often got choppy during this time of year. So long as the weather held up, he should be able to get through and make his way to civilization. While he looked forward to getting back to being Superman, he was definitely going to miss spending time with Diana.

After making sure the sail was secure, he used his super strength to carry the boat down to the shore. Along the way, he made sure to commit his surroundings to memory. He saw the campsite that he and Diana set up where they shared meals, the spots near the creek where they went fishing, and even the waterfall upstream where she accidentally dropped in on him while he was showering. Clark smiled as he recalled all these moments.

Diana was the first person he felt like he could relate to since his adopted parents died. It wasn't just that she was strong. They came from such different worlds, but they understood each other and their struggles. He doubted he would ever find anyone else like that back in Metropolis.

Clark tried not to think too much about life without Diana. Once he reached the shore, he set the boat down and contemplated how he would spend his last day on Paradise Island. Diana told him the winds would be at their highest in the middle of the afternoon. That gave them at least half a day to enjoy each other's company one last time.

'_I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye, Diana. We haven't known each other long, but I know enough to understand how special you are. I may never find anyone like you and not just because you're the first one to ever beat me in an arm wrestling match. I wish there was some way to bridge the gap between our worlds. But I guess some jobs are impossible, even for Superman. That doesn't mean we can't leave on a good note.'_

Once the boat was set, he retrieved a little memento he had crafted for Diana late last night after she left. It was a football, which he forged using some spare rope and his heat vision. It didn't look like much, but it seemed fitting. Of all the sports Clark had told her about, she had been most fond of football. Being a warrior, it made sense that she would have a taste for contact sports. Maybe before he left, they could throw the ball around a bit and create a few more good memories before he left.

As Clark smiled at the thought, he heard some rustling from the bushes near the trail that led to the beach. This was the trail Diana usually took when she arrived so he didn't think much of it.

"Is that you, Diana? You're right on time. I've got something for you," said Clark as he walked up the beach to greet her.

He couldn't make his way up the sandy shore fast enough. Then he saw a figure emerged from the trail, but it wasn't Diana. His smile quickly faded and he froze as an older, imposing woman approached.

"You've nothing she wants. You should know better, but then again you are a man," said the woman.

"Who are you? Where's Diana?!" exclaimed Clark as he stepped back.

"You don't get to make demands of me, barbarian. I am Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. And you're going to answer for your crimes against my daughter and my sisters!"

And just like that, the possibility of creating anymore good memories before he left completely disappeared. Diana warned him that the rest of the Amazons on this island would not take kindly to his presence, but this wasn't just any Amazon. This was Diana's mother. Her angry gaze alone was enough to make even Superman tremble.

As she approached, he cautiously stepped back towards his boat. Along the way, he heard more rustling in the bushes surrounding the shore. Then, Hippolyta raised her sword and like a trap being sprung, a whole legion of armed Amazons emerged. Clark watched with dread as the warrior women let out angry battle cries and surrounded him with stunning speed.

"For Themyscira!" they all yelled out.

They moved in a perfect swarm, making sure every escape route was blocked. Clark had dealt with soldiers and mercenaries before, but none of them had demonstrated this kind of efficiency. From what Diana had told him, these were immortal women who had multiple lifetimes of combat experience. He was just a kid from Smallville who had only a few weeks of training under Diana. If each of these women were as strong as Diana, then he didn't stand a chance.

"Please…I don't want to fight any of you. Can we just talk about this?" asked Clark, doing his best to sound diplomatic.

"I'm afraid we're already past that point. You've already done enough damage with your words and I'll see to it that you do no more," said Hippolyta.

The queen turned towards one of the Amazons behind her and nodded. She got the message and stepped aside, allowing Aleka to step forth. And following close behind was Diana, still bound by her wrists by a lasso. Aleka had been tasked with keeping Diana cooperative. She didn't make it easy on her, often resisting her efforts to keep her moving. Aleka had to give the lasso a few hard tugs to keep her in line. While the princess showed grit, her demeanor shifted considerably when she approached.

"Diana!" gasped Clark when he saw her bound state.

"I'm okay, Kal," she assured him.

Aleka gave the lasso another tug to silence her. As she stepped forward, the rest of the Amazon legion closed in, their shields and spears pointed at him. They were clearly very upset with him, but they looked every bit as upset with Diana.

"Please, let her go. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt her," said Clark, holding his hands up in the face of all this hostility.

"Oh Kal… tis is one case where your humility will only hurt us both," said Diana solemnly.

"Spare me your empty words! They've done enough damage," said Hippolyta. "You will _not _deceive me as you have my daughter."

"I swear, I'm not trying to deceive anyone," said Clark calmly.

"I've heard that talk from men before. They pretend to be sincere, saying whatever they need to say to get a woman under their spell. Your methods must not work on sensible women so you set your sights on an immature teenager. Even for a man, that's pathetic."

"Nobody put anyone under any spell. I was shipwrecked. Diana helped me. Anything else that happened…"

But Hippolyta wouldn't hear it. She stepped towards him and pointed her sword at him so the tip was only inches from his neck.

"Silence!" barked the queen, "I don't want to hear any more of your lies."

"He's not lying, Mother!" shouted Diana, which earned another rough tug of the lasso from Aleka.

"That applies to you too, Princess," said Aleka coldly. "You're only making it worse by believing whatever this beast of man says."

"A beast is too kind a word, Aleka," said Hippolyta, glaring at Clark with the utmost hatred. "This man did something far worse than trespass on our homeland and spread lies. He actually turned my own daughter against me, convincing her to lie to her mother and her sisters. His crimes are almost as egregious as those of Hercules. While that monster never paid for his crimes, I can assure you that this man will!"

Clark, his hands still raised, gulped nervously under her harsh words. This woman's hatred of men ran deep. Diana only told him so much about the horrors the Amazons endured in the past, but she also told him to assume it was many times worse than anything she could describe. Between these horrors and her being a protective parent, Clark couldn't have been in a worse position.

By now, the Amazons had fully encircled him. He briefly considered jumping over them, but he noticed some of the Amazons were armed with bows and arrows. Based on what Diana told him about Amazonian weapons, these weapons were probably enchanted with magic. That meant they could hurt him and if their archery skills were as good as Diana's, they could really wound him. His only other option was to fight, but that would only provoke these women even more. As Superman, he was supposed to be powerful enough to get out of any situation. But this was one situation where even he was powerless.

"You will not be leaving this island in one piece, barbarian. You're going to come with us and stand trial at the Temple of Athena. There, your crimes against the Amazons will be documented and your punishment will be administered. Between trespassing on our island and corrupting the queen's daughter, Hades will have to prepare a special place in the underworld for your soul."

It didn't sound like much of a trial. Hippolyta had already made her judgment. Her voice echoed with so much outrage. Clark tried to say something in his defense, but a desperate look from Diana dissuaded him. Anything he said at this point would only make matters worse. Every Amazon surrounding him was ready to attack and silence him at the slightest provocation. Now, the promise of getting home felt more distant than ever.

'_I knew Diana's mother was harsh, but this is a whole new level of hate. Guess I won't be missing this place that much after all…if I actually manage to leave in one piece.'_

Clark continued to keep his hands up, not moving a muscle as Hippolyta stared him down, already contemplating the ways she would punish him. It was the first time Diana ever looked at her mother with disgust. This woman, who she loved with all her heart and who taught her to be strong, was so consumed with the vilest of hatred. She looked around at her sisters, who shared in that hatred. In that moment, she no longer saw an army of proud, honorable warriors. She saw a pack of bloodthirsty animals, looking to prey on the innocent.

In this moment of disgust, Diana fell to her knees and bowed her head in sorrow. She thought she had seen great horrors in battle. None could possibly compare to this. Her sisters might be the ones that hurt Clark, but she was the one that condemned him. She condemned him by daring to open her heart. Everything about that felt wrong. Being a warrior, she could not let that stand.

As she struggled with her disgust, she noticed that Aleka was not in the same defensive stance as the rest of the Amazons. Being bigger and stronger than most of her sisters, she likely assumed she didn't need to be vigilant when her only task involved keeping a rebellious teenager restrained. That arrogance might be her last opportunity to end this. She briefly looked back towards Clark and then at her mother. Knowing Clark would never risk hurting her or her sisters, Diana realized that only she could stop this injustice.

"Don't waste your time shedding tears for him, Princess. Once justice is done, we'll see to it that you forget all his lies," said Aleka smugly.

"You're only half-right, Aleka. Justice _will _be done," said Diana.

In an act that would surely pain her heart, Diana roughly tugged on the lasso restraining her, causing Aleka to stumble forward. Before the taller woman could regain her balance, Diana delivered a powerful sweep kick that knocked her feet. In the process, she lost her grip on the lasso, allowing the Diana to free her wrists and wield the lasso on her own.

"Ungh!" grunted Aleka as her back hit the sand. "Look out, my queen!"

But neither Hippolyta nor the rest of the Amazon legion had a chance to stop Diana. They were too focused on Clark, blinded by their hatred and their desire to administer their precious Amazon Code. Diana, now emboldened and armed with a lasso, put to use the same warrior skills she had been taught to uphold that code.

She threw the loop of the lasso at her mother so that it wrapped around her torso. Then, just as her mother realized what was happening, Diana summoned a level of strength she had yet to show and pulled her away from Clark.

"Ahh! Diana?!" exclaimed Hippolyta. "What in Poseidon's name are you doing?!"

"Preserving what's left of our honor," answered Diana.

"Say focused on the man, sisters! I'll stop her," yelled Aleka.

The rest of the Amazons flinched only briefly, not nearly enough time for Clark to do anything. It was still plenty of time for Aleka to get up and attack Diana. She managed to come up behind her and pull her into a choke hold. For a moment it seemed to work and she attempted to push Diana back down to her knees.

"Attacking your sisters? _And _your mother?" said Aleka in disgust. "You call _that _honor?"

"Your bark was always worse than your bite, Aleka," quipped Diana.

Before the larger Amazon could exert more of her strength, Diana jerked her head back and hit Aleka right in the nose. It was a somewhat crude tactic, but it worked. It stunned Aleka just long enough for Diana escape her grip, strike her in the torso with her fist, and hit her with a punishing roundhouse kick that sent the imposing woman crashing against a nearby tree.

Even though the other Amazons remained focused on Clark, they couldn't help but be shocked by the sight of their princess attacking a sister, and for a man no less. They had trained all their lives to fight invaders, monsters, and titans on a whim. They never trained to fight one of their own, let alone someone destined to inherit the throne. Nobody was sure what to do other than maintain their defensive stance while Diana retrieved her mother's sword and rushed towards Clark.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Clark, every bit as astonished as the Amazons.

"I'm sure," she replied in complete confidence.

With Hippolyta still restrained, Diana positioned herself between Clark and the Amazon legion. Lacking armor and wielding only a lasso and a sword, she was incredibly outmatched. But she didn't care. At the moment, she was the only Amazon on this island acting like a true warrior.

"Hear me, sisters! Stop this affront to our honor!" Diana proclaimed, now speaking with the authority of the princess. "Consider for a moment what you're doing. This man has been on this island for weeks and has harmed no one. He has had ample opportunities. And he has demonstrated to me that he has ample ability as well, but has done no such thing. Yet you seek to condemn him anyways. Ask yourself, is that the act of a noble warrior?"

She had hoped her rhetoric, along with the weight her name carried, would at least get her sisters to back off slightly. Instead, it had the opposite effect. Now they looked even more enraged and not just towards Clark. They both had to take a step back towards the boat. Clark even kept his hands up, preparing to defend himself the moment the first shot was fired.

"I don't think you've convinced them," commented Clark.

"I suppose I had too much faith in my sisters," said Diana in dismay.

"That's because you overestimate the value of your title, Diana. You may be my daughter and the Princess of Themyscira, but you are still a child," said Hippolyta, still bound by the lasso.

"Should that really matter?" retorted Diana. "Does my age make my words any less valid?"

"It's not just your age, my daughter. It's your limited experience. Look into the eyes of your fellow sisters. You'll see in them the experiences they've had with men…experiences you've never had and couldn't possibly understand. You're right in one way. This man is not Hercules. But he's still a man and our experiences have given us plenty of reasons not to trust his ilk."

Diana stayed close to Clark, holding her sword up in a defensive stance as some of her sisters closed in. To her dismay, the hatred in their gazes confirmed her mother's words. There was so much pain and resentment in all of them. To them, they weren't looking at an innocent man. They were looking at a manifestation of that which had inflicted such torment. She knew the pain that Hercules inflicted had run deep, but she had never seen it on display like this. It meant there could be no peaceful resolution to this situation. One of them would have to make a painful decision.

"Kal…" said Diana under her breath as she continued to stare down her sisters.

"We're not going to convince them," said Clark anxiously. "There has to be another way. Maybe I can…"

"Go," she told him in a tone that masked the pain of her decision.

"What? But what about…"

"I'll hold them off. Just get back to your world. Get back and keep being the man I know you to be."

Clark didn't claim to know everything about Amazon culture, but he understood the implications of what she was suggesting. By fighting her sisters, she was committing yet another crime. Such a crime surely wouldn't go unpunished. But the determination in her tone made it clear. She was willing to go that for him.

"Diana…" he said sadly.

"I'll be fine. Just go!" she ordered.

As he stumbled back towards the boat, Hippolyta realized what her daughter was doing. Despise being bound by the lasso, she rose up and took command.

"Arrogant brat! Are you really going to oppose your own sisters?" yelled Hippolyta.

"You want to harm this man? You want to commit injustice in our name? You'll have to go through me!" said Diana.

With a heavy heart, the Amazon queen scolded her daughter with the utmost disgust and made a decision of her own.

"Sisters, seize the princess! Don't let the man get away!" she ordered.

"For Hera!" they all exclaimed.

The moments that followed unfolded in slow motion for Clark. As he reached his boat, Diana let out her own war cry and threw herself into the crowd of angry Amazons. This 17-year-old girl he had only known for a couple weeks was willing to fight this hard to save him. That made what he had to do next all the more painful.

While Diana's attack drew most of the attention from the Amazon legion, Clark managed to get on the boat. Some of the Amazons shot arrows at him. They would have hit all over his body if he hadn't slammed his fists together to create a powerful shockwave that blew them back. This display of strength stunned the Amazons long enough for him to shove the boat into the clear waters. Once he was in position, he was ready. But before he departed, he gazed towards Diana one last time.

She didn't get a chance to do much fighting. She swung her sword a few times to deflect the incoming spear attacks. She even managed to shove off a shield attack and disarm one of her sisters that tried to sneak up behind her. But there were too many of them, even for someone of Diana's tenacity.

Seven Amazons attacked at once, using their shields to knock Diana off balance. Then they all tackled her to the sandy shore, pinning on her stomach and restraining her limbs. With each Amazon bearing the same strength as her, she had no hope of escape. But she was still able to look back at him just long enough to see his sad yet grateful expression.

"Thank you, Diana," said Clark, managing one last warm smile.

Then, with more Amazons closing in on him, Clark took a deep breath and let out a powerful gust of wind that sent a miniature cyclone towards the shore. It both stopped the oncoming attack and propelled him into the sea like a rocket. He accelerated fast, straining the makeshift boat in the process. But it held together and within seconds, the shores of Paradise Island became a distant sight. Once he expended his breath, he raised the sail and let the winds carry him away.

His escape was now complete. In the end, Diana kept her promise in helping him get off the island. It was bittersweet, knowing that he escaped while Diana faced the wrath of her mother and her sisters. But in her final gaze, he saw no regrets. He tried to take comfort in that, as well as all the wonderful moments he shared with her. Knowing he might never meet another woman like her again, those moments became all the more precious.

'_So here I am…alone again. By accident, I meet a beautiful girl who actually understands me and accepts me for who I am. She embraces me, making me feel things I've never felt before. Then when it all goes horribly wrong, she risks her life and goes against her own family to do what she thought was right. That's more than Superman has ever had to do. Guess that means I'll have to be an even better man. It's the only way I can honor such a wonderful woman.'_

* * *

**Later - Themyscira Dungeons**

Amazons weren't used to battles that had no victors. They expected only two outcomes in a battle – victory or death. So when a battle ended with neither their blood nor that of their enemy's being shed, nobody could truly claim victory.

The Amazons had been dishonored. Their homeland had been tainted by the presence of a man. Worst of all, their own princess had been corrupted. This woman, who they loved and respected dearly, had undermined the very code she swore to uphold. She was supposed to be their future queen, one who would have the strength to lead the Amazons into a new era. Now, under the Amazon Code, she was a deviant. Her heart and her commitment to her sisters were now in question. It left even the most hardened Amazons conflicted.

Yet still, the only one who could say she wasn't conflicted in any way was Diana herself. As soon as Kal-El disappeared from sight, she was subdued. Everything after that transpired in a blur. She remembered her sisters yelling at her in anger. Some even cried. What she had done was so egregious that it hurt them in ways no beast or man ever could. As she now sat in a dungeon, her wrists chained with shackles made by Hephaestus himself, she could still hear their cries.

"_How could you, Diana? How could you!"_

"_A man! A man over your own sisters!"_

"_You dare call yourself an Amazon? You dare aspire to be our queen?"_

Their words cut deep, but Diana never responded to any of them. Even when they struck her and slapped her in their outrage, she remained silent. There was nothing to say. And nothing they said convinced her that she done anything wrong. However, it did force her to contemplate how her experiences with Kal-El would affect her moving forward and not just with respect to the fate that awaited her.

After she was subdued, she was escorted her back to the Temple of Athena. Along the way, every Amazon on the island gathered to watch the scene. They were all shocked at the sight of their princess being treated like a common criminal. Some of the Amazons, namely Aleka, loudly proclaimed her crimes. It was an act of public shaming, a powerful tactic in this close-knit community of warriors. They all shared in the outrage, but none could hide their dismay. Diana remembered seeing their sad eyes. Yet she showed no regret, even after they threw her into the dungeon in the basement of the temple.

"From princess to prisoner in just one day," sighed Diana. "And it was all because of a man…a kind, caring, handsome man."

It was strange. Her crimes were so egregious. She would surely pay a high price for them. Yet in recalling her experiences with Kal-El, she was more convinced than ever that she had acted honorably. This also promised to further complicate how she would deal with the judgment of her sisters and her mother.

Diana already knew what she was in for. Her mother was probably putting together a trial with her and a council of their best warriors. She would be brought before them, they would review her crimes, and a punishment would be handed down. Since she was the princess and a teenager, she might be afforded mercy, but she didn't dare assume.

While Amazons did not execute their own, they never hesitated to administer harsh punishments. The worst, by far, was exile. It involved stripping an Amazon of their immortality and expelling them from Themyscira with nothing but the clothes on their back. Diana would probably avoid that fate, but other punishments, such as working in the Olympian mines or being kept out of battles, could be expected. Knowing her mother, Diana expected plenty of toil. She didn't fear punishment for something she believed to be honorable. However, she did fear what this meant for her relationship with her mother and her sisters.

As Diana sat in the corner of her confined cell, resting her eyes and reliving the memories she shared with Kal-El, the chamber door finally opened and her mother walked in.

"Hello, Diana. I trust you've had time to settle in," greeted Hippolyta, throwing in another parental scold.

Diana acknowledged her presence, but remained silent. She since become numb to such scolding. She hoped to make it clear that she would not be shamed into apologizing. Her mother seemed to get the message quickly.

"I was hoping we could talk. It's been a long, trying day for all of us."

"Speak for yourself," muttered Diana under her breath.

"I'd still like to end it with at least some hope that tomorrow will be better. I don't want one day to ruin a lifetime of love between me and my daughter. Don't you want that too?"

Now she sounded less like the queen of the Amazons and more like a concerned mother. Diana finally allowed herself to feel uncomfortable with her situation. She looked up at her mother with solemn eyes, watching as she sat down on the cold stone floor next to her. Diana didn't expect to garner much sympathy. Nobody became queen of the Amazons by being overly sympathetic. At the very least, they needed to come to an understanding.

"What's done is done. We cannot undo it and we shouldn't dwell on it more than we need to," began Hippolyta.

"That's easy to say when you're not the one in shackles," Diana pointed out.

"You won't be wearing those shackles much longer. I've assembled a tribunal and scheduled your hearing for tomorrow morning."

"How much more public shaming can I expect? I get the sense that my sisters have plenty more to inflict."

"There will be none. I've made sure of that," said Hippolyta strongly.

"How can you be so sure?" scoffed Diana.

"Because before I came here, I issued a decree," she replied. "No one is to scold, insult, or demean you once the sun rises tomorrow. I do not wish for this ordeal to become worse than it already has. I want us to heal rather than fester."

Diana was somewhat surprised. She expected her mother to be far less forgiving. Being the princess, she was supposed to be held to a higher standard. This was the first sign that her mother might be willing to talk about this issue. However, she didn't expect her to be too reasonable.

Hippolyta still struggled to look her daughter in the eye, knowing she was still jaded and distant. She had never been this upset with her daughter before. She didn't like it in the slightest. She hadn't shown it earlier, but in hearing those angry curses from her sisters, it hurt her almost as much as Diana. As queen, she had to be stern in treating her daughter like any other Amazon that had transgressed against their warrior code. As a mother, her sorrow overshadowed her anger. She had raised Diana from birth with the utmost love. One transgression shouldn't taint that love.

"I'm not going to let them exile you, Diana," Hippolyta told her, still speaking in as reasonable tone as a queen could manage. "There will be some that wish to see you banished. I intend to remind them that what you did was not a bannishable offense. Your actions, egregious as they were, did not lead to any other Amazons being harmed."

"And yet I heard words like _treason _being yelled quite frequently," said Diana.

"They were upset. Do not mistake their outrage for their honest sentiment," said Hippolyta.

"I understand that they're upset. Now that I've had time to think about it, I also understand that they're hurt. I did something that they all saw as a serious offense. I've been taught all my life that it was a serious offense and I'm not going to argue that it wasn't."

"But you're not going to apologize for it, are you?"

Diana laughed to herself and shook her head. As uptight as her mother could be at times, she knew her very well. She had been the one to instill in her that strong spirit that drove her to be such a great warrior. She probably never expected that spirit to lead her to do something like this, but she didn't belabor the situation. She remained focused on moving forward and Diana needed to share that focus.

"You already know how I feel about my actions, mother," said Diana. "I'm not going to say more than I've already said. I'm not going to make excuses either. I still believe that I did the right thing by helping that man."

"That's still the one part of this ordeal that I struggle to process," said Hippolyta with a hint of frustration.

"Which part? That I dared to do what I felt was right or that I dared to question the merits of the Amazon Code?"

"The part where you chose to lie to your sisters for the sake of a man…a man who you barely knew, yet trusted more than your own mother."

There was plenty of pain in her tone. The mere mention of a man was enough to remind her of the pain she endured under Hercules. It clouded her judgment and heightened her emotions. This was where the conversation broke down between Diana, her mother, and the rest of her sisters. This was what she had to confront if they were going to get through this.

"I'm not going to retell the same story you've heard many times before," Hippolyta continued. "I know this man was not Hercules. I don't doubt that he's different from him. But who he is doesn't matter. He's still a man."

"So what he _is _matters more than what he _does_? Do you not see the problem with that?" questioned Diana.

"It's not a problem. It is the standard by which men are held in the eyes of the Amazon. We are warriors. As such, our standard must be higher than those of man's world. To let our guard down, even when it feels like the right thing to do, isn't just a threat to who we are as warriors. It is opens the door for more tragedy."

"You're not going to convince me that by helping this man, I put our sisters at risk," said Diana.

"I'm not trying to convince you. I'm trying to make it clear to you that we must hold ourselves to that great standard. Hera blessed the Amazons with great power and she expects us to use that power to become great warriors. And part of being a great warrior is staying true to the warrior code that we have sworn to uphold."

"Does that code mean not trusting our hearts when it tells us what we know to be right?" asked Diana.

"Do not mistake your heart with your spirit, Diana. That is a weakness that youth and inexperience often confound," said Hippolyta. "You might think your heart was in the right place, but you lack the full perspective."

"So I cannot trust my own thoughts?"

"That's not what I'm saying. What you did might have felt right on some levels, but that's exactly why we adhere to the Amazon Code. It provides guidance that ensures our hearts do not lead us astray. And I need to know that my daughter is not going to drift away from her sisters…or her mother."

The strain on her heart and spirit kept building. With every word her mother said, the extent of her actions grew. Even if she did the right thing, the burden it wrought was greater than Diana could have imagined. It shouldn't have been this complicated, helping someone in need and acting honorably. But there was no escaping these complications at this point.

Diana briefly looked over at her mother, who still appeared so conflicted. She then looked down at the shackles binding her wrists. There had been times when she questioned the Amazon Code, even before she met Kal-El. Her mother and her sisters convinced her that this was the product of a young, inexperienced mind. Most of her sisters were immortal, having memories and experiences far greater than anything she could imagine. She tried to convince herself that she understood their perspective. These shackles on her wrist were proof that she didn't.

Between her mother and the shackles that bound her, Diana had to make a choice. On some levels, her mother and sisters were correct. The experience she had with one man wasn't enough to override the crimes of his kind. Kal had even demonstrated that he was no ordinary man. For all she knew, ordinary men were as detestable as her sisters claimed. But that was the problem and in some ways, it was also the solution. In that context, Diana made her choice, knowing it would likely lead to more complications.

"I'm not going to push you away, mother. I am an Amazon. This experience has not changed that. _Nothing _can change that," said Diana, finally speaking with strength worthy of a princess. "I concede that my youth does affect my actions, but I will not use that as an excuse."

"I wouldn't want you to either. You're better than that, Diana," said Hippolyta.

"And I understand that I have to be better. I am not just an Amazon. I am the princess. That means I have to hold myself to a higher standard, especially when it comes to transgressions."

"That's what the tribunal is expecting to hear. Just saying that will help reassure them."

"But I cannot tell them everything they want to hear," Diana went on. "I will not gravel. I will not beg for mercy. What's done is done. They know how I feel about it. You know how I feel about it."

"You'll have to find a way to say that with less arrogance," said the Queen.

"I will do what I can, that I promise. But I cannot promise that I will immediately adopt the perspective of you and my sisters. Like you said, I am young. And this experience has _influenced _me in ways I never could have imagined."

"My main concern is how far that influence will go. What can you say to convince me and your sisters that it will not undermine your loyalty to your sisters and your adherence to our code?"

"I'm not sure there's much I can say, mother. But I intend to make clear that this influence has revealed to me just how much I need to grow. I am still a child in their eyes and yours. Part of holding myself to a higher standard involves working harder to gain that perspective you mentioned."

Despite the shackles still binding her wrists, Diana scooted closer to her mother so that she could grasp her hand. It was the first show of affection they had managed since this trying ordeal began. It seemed to bring relief to her mother's distress. It wasn't as much as she wished she could give, but it conveyed her sincerity.

"I _want _to be the Amazon warrior that I know I'm capable of being. I _want _to be the Amazon warrior that you and my sisters want me to be," said Diana. "If having this experience and dealing with the consequences will aid me in that effort, then I accept every punishment and every burden I receive."

"You're already sounding more responsible," said Hippolyta with a slight smile. "I just hope that we can eventually put that behind us."

"As do I, but that doesn't mean we should forget about it. I want this to make me stronger. I want this to make _us_ stronger. To do that, I only ask that you and my sisters give me a chance to learn from this experience. I know it's unreasonable, me asking for anything in my position…"

She was about to start pleading, something she never did before. Hippolyta, not willing to let her daughter forsake her Amazon pride, silenced her and embraced Diana for the first time since this ordeal began. It was a conflicted, yet genuine show of love. It helped mark the first step they needed to take to get through this affair.

"You don't need to ask for anything, Diana," said Hippolyta. "You've never asked for any favors and I don't expect you to start now. Everything you say you want is a noble aspiration, but these are things that can't be given. They must be earned."

"But will I even get a chance to earn it?" asked Diana.

"Every Amazon is given a chance. I understand this and I intend to remind the tribunal as well. That chance you seek will begin as soon as your punishment is administered. You'll have to toil more than you would have had this incident never occurred. You'll have to endure the added scrutiny of your fellow Amazons every step of the way."

"I'm fully willing to accept those struggles. I hope I've made that clear."

"You have, Diana. You've also made clear that you have the heart and the spirit to be that great warrior. I want you to achieve that greatness, as any mother would. And I'll stand by your side and love you as I always have."

"And I still cherish that love. Don't think for a second this changes that," said Diana sincerely.

"Then trust in me and your sisters to guide you so that you have that perspective and that experience that unites us as Amazons. Let's use this to make ourselves stronger, not tear us apart."

Hippolyta embraced her daughter closer. This time, Diana returned the feeling. What she experienced with Kal-El didn't change how she felt about her mother and her sisters. She remained dedicated to them, even though her previous assumptions had been challenged. There was still so much about her sisters and the Amazon traditions that she cherished. She never contemplated rejecting them or her mother. It was just going to be a lot harder now.

"I trust in you, mother. I _will_ become stronger," said Diana, sincere emotions mixing with her bold words.

"Then we need not worry about the tribunal tomorrow. From here on out, I say we focus on moving forward."

"Agreed!"

The tension finally eased. Hippolyta felt a wave of relief, knowing her daughter had the determination and spirit to move beyond this ordeal. She still worried that her experiences would continue to affect her. But like a true Amazon, she buried her worries and fears under the hope and love she had for Diana. She believed she could get through this and become the proud Amazon that would one day lead her sisters. She just had to prove that she was strong enough to overcome the corrupting influences of man's world.

Diana still shared in her mother's hope for her. She didn't expect that to change in light of this incident. However, she refused to cast aside these feelings and reservations she gained in being with Kal-El. She wanted to believe that it would all make sense once she reached a certain age and earned the strength she sought. Whether she would achieve that perspective remained to be seen, but Diana knew she was in for a struggle.

As she and her mother prepared to move forward, Diana's thoughts drifted back towards Kal. She couldn't allow herself to think too much about him, otherwise those feelings she felt around him would only further complicate her struggle. But despite the sentiments of her mother and sisters, she believed that he was the good man he claimed to be. She also believed that the man's world would be better because of him.

'_I hope you got home safely, Kal. I also hope you'll cherish our time together as much as I did, regardless of how it ended. I've still got my battles to fight and you have yours. I don't know if our paths will ever cross again, but I hope I've helped make you stronger because you've already made me stronger.'_

* * *

**Smallville, Kansas - One Week Later**

Clark never expected to return to Smallville this soon. He never thought he would be able to get over the death of his parents to a point where he could return without being too great a strain on his heart. But after his experience on Paradise Island, his outlook had changed. He made himself endure the strain. He had to confront these painful issues to become a better man and a better Superman.

"Home sweet home, but not for much longer," sighed Clark as he stood at the end of what used to be the driveway into the Kent family farm.

It had been a long journey since he left Themyscira and not just in terms of the distance traveled. After making it away from the island, he drifted for about a day and a half until an ocean liner found him. From there, he hitched a ride to a port in Athens, Greece where he spent the next few days resting and recuperating. There was a lot to digest and even more to contemplate.

At first, he worried about Diana. Her sisters were pretty upset with her. At times, he even contemplated going back to help her. However, Clark trusted that Diana knew what she was doing when she helped him escape. She made a sacrifice for him, giving him a chance to get away before the conflict could escalate. It was the first time someone made sure that he didn't have to fight. For once, he didn't have to be Superman. Instead, he inspired Diana, a beautiful young woman who had been brought up to never trust a man, to do what she believed to be right. That experience and the impact she had on him led Clark to make some big decisions.

As Clark hopped various trains and planes to make his way back home, he laid out a plan to turn those decisions into actions. The first step involved changing what it meant to be Clark Kent and Superman.

"Ma…Pa…you used to tell me that no matter how big the world seemed, there was always room to grow. I'm sorry I didn't understand that sooner," said Clark distantly.

With a heavy heart, he walked up the driveway and past the house where he grew up as Clark Kent. Along the way, a number of vivid memories played out in his mind. He looked out over the now vacant corn fields and recalled the times he and Lana Lang would chase each other. He then looked up at the window to his bedroom and remembered watching the stars with his father, often using his telescopic vision to describe celestial events that could not be seen with human eyes. He also looked towards the windows leading into the kitchen and he could still smell the intoxicating aroma of his mother's pies. All these memories became painful after they died, but now they took on a new meaning.

For a moment, Clark just stood near the front steps and looked up at the now vacant house. Officially, it was still in his name. After his parents died, he inherited it. However, he knew he couldn't keep it. The house still had plenty of debt. His father told him that much of it came from years ago when they took out a second mortgage to pay for a fertility treatment that they hoped would allow them to have a child. Even though it didn't work, they often joked how it panned out in other ways. Now the bank had a lien on the house. A sign had been posted on the front door for months now. Clark, in his grief, never got around to decide what to do with this house. Now he had a plan.

"Five generations of farming and this is how it ends," he said sadly. "I know you two wanted more for me. I just wish I could have given you more when it mattered."

With a solemn sigh, Clark removed the flyer from the door and noted the phone number at the bottom. This was the number he would have to call to inform the bank that he had no intention of paying off the lean. He was prepared to sell the farm, knowing it would probably sell just enough to pay down the debt. But that would be the easy part. His biggest challenge lay hidden in the barn.

After folding up the flyer and putting it in his pocket, Clark made his way over to the barn and opened the large doors. He then moved aside several large tool boxes and a heavy chest containing farm equipment to reveal a large compartment built into the floor. This compartment, which had once been a storm cellar, had housed the Kryptonian ship that brought him here when he was a baby. As he opened up the compartment and laid eyes on the ship, Clark took a moment to gather his thoughts.

Few men in their early twenties faced predicaments like this. He knew he would face plenty when he decided to be Superman. This would be by far the most daunting to date.

'_Diana showed me a lot of things – things other than how even Superman can be awkward around pretty girls. She never ran from who she was or where she came from, but she didn't let it define her. She didn't let it stop her from doing the right thing. That's something my parents taught me and I've negated that because of my own personal sorrows.'_

Clark carefully approached the ship and placed his hand atop the distinct S-symbol near the hatch. When his parents first showed this to him, his presence activated the crystals inside, which revealed to him his Kryptonian heritage. He learned from these revelations that the S that came to stand for Superman also stood for hope. He thought he knew what it meant to inspire hope. His experience on Themyscira revealed that he needed to inspire more.

'_No more excuses. No more aimless wandering. I need to embrace who I am – Kal-El and Clark Kent. That means I can't keep clinging to the past. I need to lay a new foundation. I need to sew new crops, as my father would say. I can't do that here. I can't even do it in Metropolis. I need someplace where I can figure this out…a safe place where I can be who I am and learn to be a better Superman.'_

Using his own flesh, to which the ship had been tailored, he activated its systems. Within moments, it lit up. All the lights, crystals, and alien technology came to life. There was a lot within these systems he had to figure out. For a number of years, he had been afraid to learn too much about himself. He couldn't afford to be afraid anymore. Channeling the same bravery he saw in Diana, Clark climbed inside the ship, activated the main controls, and prepared for the next stage in his life.

'_Time to fire this thing up. I'll need some place to store this ship and its technology. I'll need to keep it protected. Hell, I'll need a fortress for some of this stuff. Too bad I don't have my own island like the Amazons. Maybe I'll find some place up north.'_

* * *

**Olympus – Ares' Chamber**

Being the God of War used to be a pretty good deal. Compared to the other gods on Olympus, Ares had it pretty easy. Humanity always seemed to waging war in some form or another. Sometimes it was political. Sometimes it stemmed from religious or ethnic differences. Sometimes it was just a product of humanity's inability to get along. For most of human history, he never lacked his share of opportunities to influence war to his choosing. The extent and intensity of these wars helped fuel his power. Now, for the first time in many centuries, Ares had reason to be concerned.

"Well this is certainly an interesting development," said the God of War as he witnessed a series of scenes unfold within a vision portal.

Olympus was abuzz with news of the incident on Themyscira. It was practically scandalous and for once it didn't involve Zeus fathering another illegitimate offspring. Diana, princess of the Amazons, had become smitten with a man. It certainly raised concerns among his fellow gods. Any discord among the Amazons affected them because they relied on them so heavily to combat the chaos from Tartarus. But Ares was more interested in the man himself and not the affect he had on Diana.

After re-watching the incident where Diana defended the man so he could escape, Ares reviewed other exploits of this man. The muses of Olympus often kept records of certain developments in the mortal world and this man, who the mortals had dubbed Superman, had been having quite an impact.

There had been plenty of individuals who had wielded god-like power in the past. There were even plenty of individuals in the present with such power. However, none had the potential and the spirit that this Superman had. Based on what he observed, this being could end up wielding power that would rival Zeus himself.

This power, combined with his spirit, would have a profound impact on the mortal world. He carried himself as a protector, one who sought to end conflicts and save lives. So far, most of his efforts were small, relegated to that of another costumed vigilante in a world that had plenty. Now, in wake of his experience on Themyscira, he might have greater ambitions that would eventually affect him.

At the moment, he had two vision portals open. One showed an image from the past, depicting Diana teaching him some basic Amazonian fighting techniques. One showed an image of the present, tracking the alien ship as it took off from a small farm and flew north towards the arctic. The ship was so fast and so powerful that even the monitoring power of Olympus couldn't keep up with it. And if a being this powerful could influence the Amazons and avoid the scrutiny of the gods, then that could present problems.

"So this is where the God of War resides when his sword had been dulled. It would only be somewhat less pathetic if you ran off crying to Aphrodite again," greeted the snide yet familiar tone of his brother as he entered his chamber.

"Hello Apollo," greeted Ares indifferently. "Shouldn't you be busy giving mortals sunburn and skin cancer?"

"That stopped being fun centuries ago. Besides, I got tired of listening to my fellow gods drone on and on about the uproar with the Amazons," said Apollo. "I thought I would entertain by watching your feeble attempts to work around Father's decrees."

"I always questioned your tastes in entertainment. It's no wonder father has never trusted you with more than being a glorified firefly," quipped Ares.

"As if he would ever trust you with a war that actually mattered? Seriously, how much more can you get out of these pestilent mortals. You must be bored by now with that patch of desert the mortals call the Middle East."

"I only wish I could be so bored. While the rest of our dysfunctional family obsesses over the misdeeds of one Amazon, they foolishly overlook the potential of the man behind those misdeeds."

Apollo remained only partially interested at best. Ares didn't care and ignored his presence as he brought up more viewing portals. Apollo was another Olympian who didn't care for Zeus's decrees. He also enjoyed going behind his father's back and pursuing his own selfish exploits in the mortal world. Most of the time, it lead to little more than a passing frustration among the other Olympians. Zeus was content to merely censure Apollo's activities rather than risk additional conflict amongst the gods. While Ares usually distanced himself from Apollo, this was one issue that might end up involving them both.

While Apollo watched on in bemusement, Ares directed the viewing portals to recount more of this Superman's exploits. He noted various activities all over the world, most of which took place in a city known as Metropolis. His actions mostly involved stopping petty crime and taking on authority figures that feared his power. He came off as an overly idealistic young man with a hero complex and gross immaturity. But he had the power and the means to become so much more.

"This man is no mere mortal. They call him Superman," said Ares. "His power is vast and appears to be growing. In fact, his power is so vast that he could, in theory, challenge Zeus."

"He would have to get in line," scoffed Apollo.

"Well unlike others in those line, he might actually succeed. But since he's concerned primarily with the mortal world, Father could care less."

"And we should?"

"I certainly would if I were you. His powers are fueled by the rays of the sun. That means if he ever did concern himself with our affairs, you would be least equipped to confront him."

Apollo scolded his uncle for such a comment, but he now took a greater interest in this mortal. He didn't usually concern himself with possible power struggles among mortals or Olympians. However, in seeing some of this Superman's feats, he could easily imagine him being a problem for Olympus.

"As if the mortals didn't have enough petty do-gooders," groaned Apollo. "Why must they be so bad at wielding the power of the gods?"

"They rarely understand the nature of such power, let alone how to wield it. The Superman is in a different class. I see from his encounter with Diana that he is genuine…too genuine in some respects."

"That's not the words the other gods would use to describe him. I distinctly Aphrodite used rather _colorful _language."

"I doubt such language acknowledged the possible impact this mortal could have," said Ares, maintaining a deadly serious tone. "He doesn't just seek to do good. He wants to make a bigger difference in the affairs of mortal. He wants to end conflicts, protect the innocent, and inspire other mortals to follow his example. If he has his way, there will be no more war. There would be no conflict among mortals."

"And that would put you out of a job, wouldn't it? Is that what this is about? You think this mortal threatens your very existence?" said Apollo, who couldn't resist taunting his uncle. "That must be disconcerting, the God of War fearing the acts of a mortal."

Ares sneered at the God of the Sun, but knew it would have little effect. Apollo enjoyed frustrating his fellow gods. It seemed to be his only source of entertainment these days. Ares refused to give him the satisfaction. However, his snide remarks weren't wholly inaccurate. As he expanded the vision portal to display a larger depiction of the mortal known as Superman, he assessed the threat before him.

"Your efforts to further demean me won't succeed, Apollo. While I know you'll argue otherwise, losing my purpose is not my greatest concern," said Ares. "War, in all its horrific forms, is a byproduct of the balance between order and chaos. To disrupt it is to disrupt the very nature of the heavens."

"Yes, I'm sure you're _so _worried about preserving the natural order," said Apollo dryly.

"That order is a significant part of the foundation on which Olympus rests. Zeus refuses to see it because he seeks to minimize our entanglement with the mortal world, but I will not stand by and let this mortal undermine that foundation. He may have forbidden me from involving myself in the affairs of the Amazons, but the affairs of this Superman might end up bearing greater fruit."

"It sounds to me like you already have a plan," Apollo commented.

"So what if I did? Are you going to run crying to Zeus and accuse me of false transgressions?" said Ares, throwing in a subtle threat to dissuade his nephew.

"Are you kidding? This might be the most entertaining thing I've witnessed in centuries! Consider me an active observer. If, by chance, you happen to be right about this mortal, I want a front row seat to the action."

The God of War could do without Apollo's attitude, but he could deal with it. No god ever accomplished anything on Olympus without being able to tolerate frustrating personalities. He could care less what Apollo thought of his concerns. Even if every god on Olympus stood against him, he would be vindicated.

With the image of Superman now dominating his chamber, Ares studied every feature of this powerful mortal. It wouldn't be enough to subdue or contain this being. He had to figure out a way to ensure that Superman would serve his goals in propagating his war. If all went accordingly, even Zeus would not be able to stop what he planned to unleash.

* * *

**Up next: Daze Gone By**


	4. Daze Gone By

**Strangers In Paradise  
Chapter 4: Daze Gone By**

**AN: This chapter takes place five years after the events of the previous chapter.**

* * *

**Themyscira – Training Arena**

The greatest warriors were willing to take the longest road to achieve victory. That was the mantra for every Amazon warrior from the day they picked up a sword. They conditioned themselves to brave every hardship, endure every struggle, and defeat every enemy. This rigid warrior code had served many Amazons well through many battles. However, none had to fight the kinds of battles that Diana fought after she was convicted and punished for aiding a male trespasser on Themyscira.

This crime, and the sentence imposed on her, was supposed to set her back on her path to becoming a true Amazon warrior. It was supposed to shame and discredit her until she earned back the trust of her sisters. However, this was not what happened.

If anything, the punishment handed down by her mother and the scorn conveyed by her sisters only emboldened Diana. In the years that followed, she grew from an immature teenage girl to imposing woman who did not back down from a fight and endured every hardship to achieve her goal. That still didn't stop some of her sisters from provoking.

"How many more times are you going to do this, Aleka? What are you trying to prove?" asked Diana, always poised in the face of new challenges.

"Why must you ask questions I've been answering for the past five years?" replied Aleka with an angry determination that would have made Hades himself shudder. "Now choose a damn weapon. No lassos. No shields. No fancy armor. Just you and me…one weapon…one fight."

"Very well, since you're so adept at being unreasonable…I choose the sword."

"I was hoping you'd say that. It wouldn't be a true battle if one of us didn't walk away wounded."

Aleka couldn't retrieve a standard Amazon sword from the training racks fast enough. She tossed one to Diana as she joined her in the training ring. Officially, training was supposed to have ended. Diana, and every other Amazon scheduled to use the arena, had gone through their routines. Once again, Diana bested everyone she sparred with. Where others tired, she endured. Where others showed skill, she showed even greater skill. For a woman who had once been convicted of high crimes against the Amazons, it should've have been impossible. As such, Aleka refused to let it stand.

As the imposing Amazon stood in the training circle with Diana, she assessed the challenge before her. Even under the light of the setting sun, she could tell that this was not the same woman she once looked down on five years ago. Diana had grown both in stature and in form. She was taller than many of her fellow Amazons, having grown into a body that embodied a perfect feminine physique. It was a byproduct of rigorous training and a drive that set her apart from her sister. It had even drawn envy from some. But Aleka intended to prove that she was still the same scorned Amazon that once betrayed her sisters' trust.

The two women took a battle stance in the training circle. A few Amazons, who were either too tired or too wounded to train anymore, stayed behind to watch. It was an unspoken understanding, the animosity between these two women. While Diana had done plenty to regain the respect of her fellow sisters, some refused to forgive her past transgressions.

"She who draws first blood will claim victory!" proclaimed Aleka.

"Or she who yields, whichever comes first," added Diana, who always insisted on adding that provision.

"So be it," said the bigger Amazon. "Just know that you'll have to shed a lot more than blood to make me yield."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

The imposing woman let out a battle cry and attacked Diana, charging her and slashing at her with savage fury. The princess countered, dodging and blocking the initial onslaught. She knew she could match everything Aleka threw at her, except for her fury. That was something she could never match, but she understood where it came from.

As she fought off Aleka's attacks, Diana recounted the struggles that had led her to furious clashes such as this. Aleka had been present the day her mother and the tribunal handed down her sentence for aiding a male trespasser and allowing herself to be corrupted. It was not a lenient sentence, nor was it the harshest. Diana was forced to endure hard labor in the Olympian mines, a common punishment for certain offenses. She was also required to clean stables, sharpen weapons, and polish statutes. They were menial tasks meant to humiliate and degrade her, but these toils were not the worst.

The part of her punishment that Diana hated most was submission. This was the second worst punishment an Amazon could receive after exile. It involved her walking around with her wrists bound by magic shackles, a reminder to all that she had transgressed. She even had to wear these shackles during training, which had been increased considerably in terms of quantity and intensity.

If that weren't a great enough indignation, she was also required to lose every sparring match and every contest in which she participated. It didn't matter how hard she fought or how much she outwitted her opponents. She still had to end the session with her bowing in submission. It was demeaning and every Amazon rightfully looked down on her.

However, Diana refused to let her punishment hold her back. She promised the day her punishment began that this would make her stronger. Her commitment to keeping that promise showed in how she dealt with Aleka's fury.

"You fight with such skill…such passion…such focus," grunted Aleka as she slashed relentlessly, throwing in a kick to deflect one of Diana's counterattacks, "But I can see through your ruse."

"You delude yourself with your anger, Aleka," retorted Diana, easily enduring the kick and striking with attacks of her own.

"Do I? Tell me, Princess…do you believe you've earned everything you've gained?"

"I don't see any blood and I'm not even out of breath. You tell me," quipped Diana.

"Is that so?" said Aleka skeptically as she blocked her incoming sword slashes. "Because I say you're still lying to yourself and your sisters. Fight as many battles as you want. You still fight for yourself and not for us."

Her harsh words were coupled with more harsh attacks. Aleka let out another battle cry as she attempted to use her strength and body weight to push Diana towards the edge of the ring. Diana managed to evade her and maintain her poise, but shutting out her words would prove to be a much greater challenge.

Aleka's angry tone ignored the context of Diana's situation. As part of her submission, Diana was barred from participating in any battles during her sentence. This was akin to denying an Amazon basic sustenance. It meant she was often left behind, locked in her quarters with nothing but her thoughts. As much as this pained her, Diana made good use of this time. It allowed her time to contemplate things that no other Amazon dared contemplate. Rather than dwell on her punishment, she gained a greater perspective. That perspective showed in the way she carried herself after her punishment had ended.

When that day finally came, she and her sisters celebrated. Hippolyta led a ceremony in the Temple of Athena. The moment the sun set, her shackles were removed and she was allowed to wield a sword again. This symbolized the completion of her sentence, which earned her atonement in the eyes of the gods and her fellow Amazons. Her mother made it clear that they were not to chastise her for her crimes anymore. As far as she was concerned, the incident was in the past and need not be mentioned ever again.

While Diana never spoke of it, she never lost her new perspective. It affected the way she fought, the way she trained, and the way she grew as a woman. The results made her formidable in a way that set her apart from her fellow Amazons. They might not acknowledge it, but Aleka was always eager to point it out. She got her chance when their swords clashed between them and they attempted to overpower one another near the center of the training circle.

"Look at yourself. The way you stand, the way you move, and even the way you grip your sword…it is not the poise of a woman seeking to become part of something greater," taunted Aleka.

"You observe all this rather than focus on your opponent? No wonder you haven't bested me in two years," retorted Diana with a sneer.

"Yet in all that time, you still refuse to see it yourself. And since you're no longer an immature teenager, you have no excuse!"

Aleka began fighting dirty, striking Diana with a knee to the torso. The princess endured it, but lost her poise. Aleka tried to go in for the finishing blow, overpowering Diana with her strength and slashing at her with her sword. Again, Diana evaded, barely avoiding the edge of the ring in the process. She tried going for a finishing blow as well, but Aleka countered again and shoved her back.

"I don't make excuses, Aleka. I never have," shouted Diana.

"It's even worse than that. You don't even _try_ to make them. You just carry on like you're no different than us. But you're not!"

The powerful Amazon attacked again, this time with greater tenacity. Their swords clashed with loud clangs, even causing sparks at times. It was far more intense than any normal training regimen, but Diana had long abandoned the standards of a normal Amazon. That was a big reason behind Aleka's anger, but it wasn't the only reason.

Diana continued to block and counter Aleka's attacks, not letting her throw much strength into each strike. She kept moving around the training circle, not letting Aleka dig her feet in or gain any leverage. At one point, their swords clashed again in a battle of strength. This time, Aleka fought dirty and head-butted Diana right in the face. It didn't draw any blood, but it did disorient her enough to put her back on the defensive.

"You think you can compensate by seeking all these blessed abilities," Aleka went on as she continued slashing away, chipping away at Diana's defenses. "The gods already blessed you with greater strength, durability, reflexes, senses, and stamina. But that wasn't enough, was it?"

"I did not seek. I _earned_!" grunted Diana as she blocked each slash with increasing strain.

"Keep telling yourself that. Did you really _need _Hermes to grant you the power of flight? Or the power of speed?"

"You could've had it too," Diana pointed out.

"But you didn't stop there, did you? You also needed a rapport with animals. Then you needed empathy and wisdom from Athena. Honestly, Diana, are you really _that_ insecure? Must you seek vindication from _everyone _on Olympus?"

At this point, both warriors had strained themselves. Diana finally mustered enough strength to push Aleka back when she tried to overpower her again. This time they both stumbled to the edge of the training ring, their heels barely hovering over the line. The two women gripped their swords intently, still seeking to draw first blood. Even as Aleka recounted the skills and abilities Diana had gained over the past five years, she did not see that as a mark of superiority.

"But innate ability still wasn't enough, was it?" Aleka continued, despite being short of breath. "When the Queen held a contest for the newly minted Bracelets of Submission, you made it a point to obtain them. You did the same for the Lasso of Truth. You even sought that ridiculous golden tiara you insist on wearing into battle. I still say it makes you look foolish."

"If I recall, I used it to blind a cyclops and prevent an incursion from the gates of Thanatos. It can't be _that _foolish," retorted Diana, still clutching her sword and ready to fight.

"It looks even more foolish when you wear it with that so-called battle attire you wear. Between the ridiculous beast plate, the red and blue color scheme, and the ill-matched boots – you give the impression that you're too good for traditional Amazonian armor."

"My choice of attire doesn't make me a great warrior."

"But your choice in and of itself reveals your true nature," spat Aleka.

The imposing Amazon launched her most ferocious attack yet. She yelled out with the frustrations and animosity that every other Amazon could only suppressed, charging towards Diana and going right for the finishing blow. She attempted to stab her at first, going right for her core. One drop of blood wouldn't be enough. It had to be more to prove her point.

Diana still couldn't match her ferocity, but she never lost focus. She continued blocking and evading. That was all she could do because Aleka did not allow her any opportunities to counter. She was so fast and relentless that she couldn't even get close with her sword. To Aleka, this was no longer about training. This was her trying to prove a point.

"An Amazon is supposed to embrace her sisters! Not push them away!" yelled Aleka as she continued her relentless attack. "They seek unity, not selfishness! Cohesion, not discord!"

"I seek…all of that," argued Diana.

"Do you?" she questioned. "Or do you seek something else? Something beyond sisterhood?"

Her words finally got under Diana's skin. This caused her to miss blocking one of Aleka's slashes, forcing her to evade it instead. This threw her off-balance, allowing Aleka to throw in a punch to her core that forced her down to one knee. Now with height and leverage, she hacked away with her sword, forcing Diana to keep blocking. This effectively wore her down while Aleka continued with her harsh words.

"You insult us all with your ruse!" shouted Aleka. "If being an Amazon isn't enough for you, then you don't deserve to call yourself one. Yet you aspire to be our queen?"

"No Aleka…I aspire for something greater," grunted Diana.

She kept enduring her attack, letting Aleka to vent her impassioned anger. Every Amazon that dared to watch dreaded the outcome. Either their princess would be wounded or Aleka would overwhelm herself into submission. But this was not the outcome that Diana sought. She intended to end this in a way that would be honorable.

Pushing the stamina that had grown to such immense levels in recent years, Diana blocked and deflected every one of Aleka's attacks. She kept goading her with her gaze, fueling more outrage in the process. At this point, sparks were flying whenever their swords clashed and dirty sweat dripped down their faces. She even noticed hers cracking somewhat under the force of Aleka's slashes. That meant she had to make her move soon. Eventually, she saw her opportunity and she took it.

With one last angry battle cry, Aleka attempted a punishing slash to break her defenses. This time, Diana didn't block it. She narrowly ducked out of the way, feeling the blade lightly graze her hair in the process. Not missing a beat, she delivered a punishing kick to the side of Aleka's right knee. The force of the blow caused it to bend awkwardly, unleashing a world of pain within the imposing Amazon. As she howled out in agony, Diana shot up and delivered a powerful strike to the sword, knocking it right out of her hand. She could have ended the battle there, but that wouldn't get her point across.

Despite her pain, Aleka still attempted to fight back. Diana easily dodged one last desperate swing before delivering a swift kick to the torso that knocked the imposing Amazon flat on her back. She tried to get up, but Diana effectively pinned her, keeping one foot on her free hand and the other on her chest. She then put the tip of her sword right at Aleka's throat, ensuring that the slightest twitch would draw blood. This didn't just ensure victory. It gave Diana a chance to address her scathing remarks.

"I know what you're trying to do, Aleka," said Diana strongly, despite being short of breath. "You're not the first to attempt it. I doubt you'll be the last. Pick as many petty battles as you want. You will _not _get the victory you seek."

"Speak for yourself," scoffed Aleka, undaunted by her words and her state of near-defeat.

"You see my actions over these past five years as an affront to the Amazons, but nothing could be further from the truth. I don't seek new arms, greater skill, or different attire to set myself apart. I do so because I understand something that I didn't understand in my youth."

"As if you understood _anything_ in your youth," muttered Aleka.

"I must hold myself to a higher standard. I must raise the bar for all my sisters, not just for myself," continued Diana. "Say what you will, but I want the Amazons to be great warriors. However, I don't believe that's possible if we continue to adhere to principles that contradict and confound our honor."

"You dare question our honor?" said Aleka, daring Diana with her eyes to cut her.

"What good is honor if we don't remind ourselves why it matters? If we don't question it, then how do we know we even have it?"

"And actually you think you have it?"

"Only to the extent that I'm willing to fight harder for it. And if you truly understand that, then you'll yield so I won't have to cut you. Even you can agree that there is no honor in shedding the blood of a fellow sister."

Diana effectively turned the argument against Aleka. Still outraged and defiant, she tried pushing back against the princess, but this only added to her pain. Diana pressed her foot down on her wrist harder and stomped on her chest with a level of force that would have subdued most of her sisters. However, Aleka refused to submit.

"Please, Aleka…yield," said Diana in a more sincere tone.

"I…will not. I am…a warrior," seethed Aleka.

"A warrior knows the difference between waging war and mere fighting. You know this to be true. I know you do."

She almost sounded desperate, hoping that Aleka would not drag this out any longer. The air grew tense. The other Amazons, who had since crowded around the training circle, watched intently. The two mighty warriors kept staring each other down, daring each other to make the move they didn't want to make. Someone was going to be disappointed and bloodied. It was only a matter of time.

"Just say it, Aleka…yield," said Diana.

"No! I…will defeat you…Clay," spat Aleka.

Some of the Amazons gasped. They all know how much Diana hated being called that. They all saw the princess' face cringe with anger. Several years ago, she would have done far more than just cut her. On this day, she restrained herself, but did not hide her angry reaction.

Then, just as the tension seemed at its highest, an authoritative voice rang out from the main entrance to the training arena.

"That's enough!" said Hippolyta. "Diana…Aleka…stand down."

The two Amazons continued scolding each other for a moment, but eventually obeyed their queen. Diana took her foot off Aleka's chest and turned away, tossing her sword aside in the process. She might not have proven her point, but she sent a clear message.

However, Aleka was not content with such an unceremonious resolution. Still short of breath and brimming with anger, she ignored the lingering pain in her knee and rose up. With Diana's back still turned, she launched one final attack before she could exit the training circle.

"The Amazons will _not _be dishonored!" Aleka shouted.

For a moment, it looked like the princess would be blindsided, but Diana had sensed her sister's defiant resilience before her angry proclamation. Once again, her anger blinded her, leaving her unfocused and vulnerable in a way unbefitting of an Amazon. Had Diana's perfectly honed instincts not kicked in, she might have felt pity for her.

Instead of pity, Diana turned around with lightning-fast reflexes and delivered a punishing haymaker right to Aleka's face. This time, she didn't hold back. She hit with such force that she usually reserved for a titan, knocking Aleka back about ten feet. When she landed in the center of the training ring, she was momentarily stunned. But before another round of rage overwhelmed her, she felt blood dripping down her nose. Anger then gave way to sorrow. Diana had bested her and there was no honor in arguing any further.

"Thank you for proving my point," Diana told her.

Aleka only responded with an embittered scowl. As she lay defeated, several other Amazons who had been watching rushed to her aid. This inglorious end to what should have been a simple training match unfolded right before Hippolyta's eyes. Her orders hadn't been enough to ease the discord, which was not a good sign for any queen.

"I'm going to assume I don't want to know the details of what I just witnessed," said the queen.

"You can also assume she's the one who started it," said Diana.

"And like always, you finished it with your fists or whatever weapon you happen to be wielding at the time."

"I've attempted less violent resolutions, but some refuse to be reasonable."

"You and Aleka can still expect to have a private conversation with me tomorrow morning over additional chores. I hope you'll both be reasonable because I've no patience for such bickering," said Hippolyta strongly.

Diana resisted the urge to remind her mother why this bickering persisted. She knew as well as her that it came exclusively from sisters like Aleka who refused overlook her transgression with Kal-El and the effect he may or may not have had on her. But that was a conversation that always roused the wrong passions and after battling Aleka, Diana did not have the patience for that either.

"Come with me. There's a matter we need to discuss," said Hippolyta.

"Is it urgent?" asked Diana.

"No, but it has the potential to be. And since I know you like to supplement your training with a glass of wine and a hearty meal, I'll make this quick."

After making sure their sisters tended to Aleka, Hippolyta led Diana out of the training arena. She waited until they were within the entrance halls that led to the bath house. She didn't need others knowing about this just yet.

The queen wasn't usually seem this agitated, even after having to resolve another heated argument between Diana and her sisters. To Diana's credit, she handled these arguments as honorably as she could. She never instigated a conflict. She never threw the first punch. She only ever dedicated herself to becoming the best Amazon she could be. That dedication had earned her many accolades, including blessed weapons and new abilities from the gods. But it never seemed to be enough in the eyes of her sisters or in Diana's for that matter. For their sake and that of everything they held dear, it needed to be enough.

"Before I say anything, I wish to acknowledge your capacity for restraint, Diana," began Hippolyta.

"I punched a sister in the face. That shouldn't qualify as restraint," sighed Diana they stood together in the middle of the hallway.

"Aleka was trying to infuriate you. She crosses lines that most Amazons are too respectful to cross. The fact that you are able to remain focused and not succumb to lesser emotions says a lot about you as a warrior."

The queen affectionately cupped her daughter's chin and admired her mature form. She was still sweaty, short of breath, and dirty from the training arena. But this only highlighted her transformation from a rebellious young girl to a powerful young woman.

"Mother please, I know you're not just here to coddle me," said Diana with a humored grin.

"Of course not. I haven't had to coddle you since you were old enough to wield a sword. But I have been asking a lot of you these past few years. We all have."

"We don't need to have this conversation again. I know I'm held to a higher standard, even if it evokes jealousy from some of my sisters."

"This is a different conversation entirely," said Hippolyta in a more serious tone. "It has less to do with you and your sisters and more to do with the battlefields we enter."

This sparked Diana's attention. She cast aside her lingering feelings from her battle with Aleka and took on a more serious interest.

"I don't know if you've ever pondered this, but do you know why the gods decided to offer a worthy Amazon greater skill, better weapons, and more ability?" asked Hippolyta.

"The thought had crossed my mind. I never assumed it was generous," said Diana.

"With the gods, it rarely is. They always have a vested interest in every move they make. And after my recent meetings with Hera and Athena, I now know why they're going to such lengths to equip themselves. It actually has less to do with us and more to do with the world beyond Themyscira and the realm of the gods."

"You mean man's world?"

"I was hoping to avoid that term, but yes," affirmed Hippolyta.

Now Diana's interest was piqued. The mere mention of man's world had become more taboo after the incident with Kal-El. She went out of her way to avoid it. Her mother probably knew that, but she never doubted that it would one day become an issue again.

"The world of man is changing in ways it has not seen since the gods began keeping records," the queen explained. "For centuries, the patriarchal order has fluctuated between periods of conflict and tension. Every now and then, something comes along that shakes up that order. Those disruptions are often felt by the gods. They also affect the chaos that we fight to contain."

"You're telling me things I already know or can surmise on my own. What sort of disruption are we dealing with now?" asked Diana.

"One that has injected a new imbalance to the equation," said Hippolyta. "Something or someone has exerted a powerful new influence on man's world. This 'modern era' as they call it is changing attitudes and perceptions at an unprecedented level. Even the gods are having difficulty keeping up."

"I thought change in man's world was supposed to be constant and chaotic. Why would the gods have a problem keeping up now?"

"Because this is a different kind of change," said the queen. "Athena described new beings arising, male and female, with extraordinary abilities. They are not unlike the demigods of Amazon lore, but they are not a product of the gods or any divine will."

"That we know of," added Diana.

"I was hoping to avoid assumptions, but that thought has crossed my mind too. I've tried to focus less on the how and more on the impact because these changes have a direct effect on the affairs of Olympus. As you and every Amazon know, the natural flow of energies that fuel our domain are directly linked to hearts, spirits, and actions of all on this world. Regardless of whether the gods are worshipped, their domain is impacted by these changes. And the changes the gods are seeing have some hopeful, but some worried."

It sounded like Olympus was in a state of uncertainty, which was something the gods weren't used to. Diana didn't usually concern herself with their affairs. She had enough to deal with as it stood. However, the mention of man's world and the emergence of beings with great ability reminded her of Kal-El.

She hadn't forgotten the extraordinary abilities he demonstrated during his time on Themyscira. It wouldn't surprise her in the slightest if he was one of these beings concerning the gods, but it did concern her that the gods were now noting the impact of men like him.

"This brings me to why I wanted to share this with you," said Hippolyta, now speaking to her as a warrior more than a daughter.

"And you want to be the one to tell me instead of the gods," Diana pointed out. "That alone concerns me."

"It should because the gods don't have a history of responding well to change. Every disruption is a window for someone, god or beast, to pursue their own agenda. That means we may be facing a new kind of battle in the near-future…one that neither the Amazons nor the gods are prepared for."

"So then how do we prepare?" asked Diana intently.

"We already are," said the queen. "You've grown so much these past five years, Diana. And I'm not just referring to the challenges you've overcome and the abilities you've earned. You've matured into a special kind of warrior…one I couldn't be more proud of."

"I thought you said you weren't going to coddle me, mother."

"I am merely stating facts," said Hippolyta with a proud smile, "And the most important fact at this point is that you're the most skilled warrior on Themyscira. You trained, fought, and struggled through so much. I think you're now getting to the point where you would be more equipped to lead the Amazons into battle than I."

Now Diana felt a different kind of concern. She and her mother had these sorts of conversations before, especially within the past year. Her mother still dreamed of a day when she would take over as queen of the Amazons. For a time, Diana shared that dream. But after what happened with Kal-El, many things changed and many of those changes still affected her.

Diana shifted somewhat under her mother's proud gaze. It didn't feel right sometimes, her mother looking upon her in the context of the Amazon legacy. She had focused so much on being a warrior that she rarely had time to consider being a queen. She rarely had time to consider being anything else. It seemed she might not have a choice in the matter.

"I appreciate and cherish your support, mother. But I should remind you that some Amazons aren't ready to accept me as their queen," said Diana.

"Don't let criticism from sisters like Aleka cloud your perceptions. They still love you and would gladly follow you through the darkest pits of Hades," assured Hippolyta.

"I don't doubt their love. It's their respect that concerns me. Some refuse to forget my transgression five years ago."

"It doesn't help that you've yet to apologize for it," Hippolyta pointed out.

"And I've no intention of apologizing. You know this and I've told you my reasons."

"And I'd rather not argue those reasons again. I think we both know where we stand on that issue."

"I've no desire to have _that _conversation again either, but I don't think that matters in the eyes of my sisters," said Diana. "I think they'll always have reservations about me consorting with a man. It doesn't matter if I was just a teenager at the time. They still doubt me."

"That's nonsense, Diana. They don't doubt you," assured Hippolyta.

"They claim they don't. Sometimes they even say they don't. But I suspect that Aleka is only being the most honest among them in that she voices her doubts. And until I can prove myself to her and to all my sisters, I cannot lead them."

"I share your concerns, but the situation might not afford us the necessary time."

"Which only makes us more vulnerable," Diana argued. "You know I'm willing to train and toil for my sisters. They know it too. But they're not ready and neither am I. In that respect, maybe we both need to be stronger in ways we're not ready to be."

She remained conflicted. Hippolyta did her best to support her daughter as she always had, but this might have been the only battle that Diana wasn't willing to fight. She could slay countless beasts, win countless matches, and gain greater skill. But she couldn't see herself as having the respect needed to lead her sisters. It was tragic that only one transgression was enough to undermine her potential, but like the gods themselves, she and her daughter had to deal with a changing world.

* * *

**Syria – Refugee Camp**

"_Where are you, Superman? Show yourself! Come to me so I can show the world how pathetic you really are!"_

There was once a time when a man shouting loudly into the desert was little cause for concern. It actually wasn't that long ago when Superman might have been the only one capable of hearing these insane ramblings. Now in a world of social media and global news coverage, madmen like this had an audience. That raised the stakes and added to the danger. While most would instinctively run from such danger, some were drawn to it.

"Hurry up, Smallville! This guy is really stepping up the trash talk. I don't want to miss seeing Superman shut him up," said the always fearless Lois Lane.

"I think we're really pushing our luck here, Lois. I'm pretty sure those UN troops told us to stay behind that barrier 200 feet behind us," replied Clark as he followed Lois closely.

"What's the matter? Not feeling lucky today?" teased Lois.

"Did I say we should turn back? I know a there's nothing I can say to make you back down from a story like this. I just feel as though someone should remind you how risky this is."

"And you just love being that someone, don't you?"

"It has its perks," said Clark with a slight grin.

Nobody should have been this excited to be in a place so dangerous, but Lois Lane wasn't just anybody. She was a hard-nosed army brat, an ambitious reporter, and an unyielding champion of the truth. There was no story too big for her. There was no locale too dangerous. One day, she could be sitting in a palace, interviewing a king, and making his wife insanely jealous with her charisma and beauty. The next, she could be running around in a war zone in a pair of dirty jeans and a T-shirt, trying to share a story with the world. She didn't have any superpowers, but she didn't need them. And that was a big reason why Clark enjoyed her company.

This wasn't the first time he had followed Lois into a war zone, but this was the first time he had followed her this far. He joined the Daily Planet four years ago shortly after he moved to Metropolis. Originally, he planned on establishing Superman as something bigger than some kid in a pair of jeans who occasionally played hero. Those plans expanded a great deal thanks to Lois. She had been the one who introduced Superman to the world. She helped turn the Man of Steel from just another guy with superpowers to an icon. She also inspired Clark Kent to adopt her passion for the truth. It's what inspired him to be a reporter and now he found himself in the middle of another story.

"_This is your last chance, Superman! You have five minutes left. Show yourself or I'll turn this whole desert into a toxic waste dump!"_

As he stayed close to Lois, Clark used his telescopic vision to see the source of that booming voice. It came from a man, but he sounded more like a machine. However, that machine had clearly malfunctioned because it was driving the man insane, among other things.

The machine itself probably wasn't designed to be the walking nuclear meltdown. Based on the official UN reported, this special armored battle suit was designed to enter a major war zone in which chemical weapons had been unleashed. It was big and clunky, standing about the size of a small building and bearing a distinctly humanoid design. It supposedly packed the firepower of an entire tank battalion and was armored with an exotic metallic shell composed of metallo, a nearly indestructible metal.

This prototype unit, aptly dubbed Project Metallo, promised to end a civil war that had been raging for nearly a decade. The use of illegal chemical weapons kept most countries from sending troops, but the promise of a game-changing weapon helped attract international attention. This prompted their editor-in-chief, Perry White, to send him and Lois as the Daily Planet's chief correspondents. He claimed his gut told him something would go wrong here that would make this a bigger story. More often than not, Perry's gut was right.

Now Clark found himself following Lois through a series of trenches that had been dug by the rebels just outside a nearby city. The prototype had just finished leveling the city and now stood in a large crater that had once been a rebel stronghold. What led him to go from peacemaker to wanting to pick a fight with Superman was the big story here.

"This way! This Spanish colonel told me they're setting up drone strike from this old bunker, but I get the feeling he was only telling half the truth," said Lois as she led him over a mound of sandbags.

"How did you get him to reveal something like that?" questioned Clark.

"Let's just say the man had a thing for brunettes and leave it at that," she replied coyly. "He also told me the name of the unlucky bastard in that suit. His name is John Corban. That name ring a bell?"

"Only if it's the same Sergeant Jonathan Corban of the United States Army who served three tours overseas and was dishonorably discharged for reasons still classified."

"You forgot card-carrying member of the Lex Luthor fan club and test pilot for Lexcorp's highly experimental (and probably illegal) defense subsidiary."

"I didn't forget, but I don't remember his name being mentioned in the UN's press release," said Clark, already sensing where Lois was going with this.

"Probably by Luthor's request," scoffed Lois, "Which is why I'm positive this is going to get worse before it gets better."

Her instincts were even better than Perry White's in situations like this. As they neared the bunker, Clark attempted to assess the situation. It was no longer a matter of whether Superman would be needed to resolve this situation. It was just a matter of knowing the perfect time to strike.

Knowing now there was a Lex Luthor connection, Clark attempted to scan the prototype with his X-ray vision. What he saw only added to the danger. He couldn't see into the major components, which was to be expected from Luthor. Since he began clashing with Superman, he had been lining his facilities and weapons with lead. But he was able to see a very potent power source built into the chest of the prototype. It had a distinct greenish glow and radiated with an energy that Clark recognized all too well.

'_Kryptonite. I knew it. This is definitely Luthor's handiwork. He built the whole prototype around it. No way he planned on using this as a peacekeeping force. He made this suit just for me. Might as well return the favor before anyone else gets hurt.'_

They reached the entrance to the bunker, which was already badly damaged. As soon as they entered, they discovered that the UN's plan to deal with this renegade prototype had already failed. Several men and two women, who clearly weren't associated with the UN, were tinkering with a large refrigerator-sized machine. Something must have gone horribly wrong because it was sparking erratically. A couple of UN soldiers already lay wounded nearby the several other soldiers present didn't look in any condition to fight.

"Who the hell are you? You're not supposed to be here!" yelled one of the men working on the machine.

"From the looks of it, neither are you," said Lois.

"You better not be reporters. This whole are is supposed to be off-limits," said one of the soldiers. "This is a sensitive operation and we don't need civilians screwing it up!"

"Right, because you guys have _such _a good handle of the situation," said Lois dryly.

"You don't understand. This neural-disruptor can stop that thing!" said a beleaguered middle-aged woman standing restlessly over the machine.

"You mean that oversized toaster that looks _way_ past warranty? It doesn't look like it could stop a fruit fly."

"It's not our fault. It wasn't supposed to go so wrong," lamented another soldier, who also looked wounded. "The army said they would keep it busy. They thought the drone strikes would slow it down. But one of the missiles – it misfired. It hit us before we could activate the disruptor. Now _nothing _can stop the prototype."

These people were clearly not Lex Luthor's die-hard loyalists. They just got caught up in a dangerous job given to them by a man who valued their lives as much as he valued a lab rat. Lois only shook her head in pity while Clark formulated a new plan.

He assumed this machine that Luthor probably designed to keep Corben under control could not be fixed. He also assumed that these people weren't going to be able to escape in time. This bunker was not going to hold up against another attack or a botched drone strike. In addition, there were innocent people wounded. Seeing his window, he put his plan into action.

"These men need medical attention. I'm going to get them to a medic and you people are going to fix that thing," said Clark as he knelt beside the two wounded men.

"I can always count on you to keep things basic in a crisis, Clark," commented Lois.

"Do you two need to get your eyes checked or something? Look at this thing!" said one of the technicians working on the machine. "Does it look like it can be fixed before the prototype throws another tantrum?"

"If it hasn't blown up yet, it can be fixed," said Lois, "And if you do, you'll have your names right up there with Superman when we stop this thing. I'll see to it personally."

"When? You sure are confidently," said the female technician.

"You guys don't read the Daily Planet much, do you?"

Nobody else shared Lois's confidence, but that was to be expected. Clark could tell that she was already outlining the story she planned to write in her head. No matter how dangerous a situation got, she never lost sight of her goal. That was one of the many things he admired about her. It was also one of the many things that complicated their friendship.

While Lois aided the technicians and soldiers, Clark helped the two wounded men back to their feet. They were barely conscious and in a lot of discomfort. He also heard more drones fly overhead, indicating that another airstrike was coming. That was sure to only frustrate the prototype even more. Superman needed to end this conflict.

"Be careful out there, Smallville. Looks like Corben is almost out of patience," said Lois as she looked out from the bunker towards the raging metallic behemoth.

"I'll be fine, Lois. I would ask you to be careful as well, but I know that would be redundant," said Clark.

"I can take care of myself. No need to make it sound like a character flaw," she scoffed.

"I never meant to say I didn't admire it," said Clark, "Although I imagine Superman still worries about you when you get into trouble like this."

"He can get in line."

Leaving Lois to deal with the volatile situation in the bunker, Clark slipped out through the entrance and went to work. As soon as he was out of sight, he used his super speed to deliver the two men to a medical tent, much to the surprise of a couple medics. A fraction of a second later, he changed into Superman, activating the special Kryptonian biotech armor he always kept with him. It proved much more functional than the jeans and sneakers he used to wear. Those wouldn't have lasted a second against a threat like this.

He made sure he flew out ahead of the incoming drones, just in case they botched another strike. As soon as he came into view of the prototype, he got a better look at what he was up against. The clunky metal humanoid was even more menacing than he thought.

"_There you are! You finally muster up the courage to show yourself," _taunted John Corben from within the device.

"You're clearly not well, Sergeant Corben. I don't know what Luthor told you about this prototype, but he clearly negated its effects on your psyche," said Superman, hoping to talk him down.

"_My psyche? You think I'm crazy? I'm a soldier! I serve my country. I defend it from all threats, foreign and domestic. And you, Superman, are the greatest threat of all!"_

* * *

**Themyscira – Diana's Quarters**

There used to be a time when Diana felt stronger and bolder after a long day of training. Winning any battle, be it a sparring battle with a sister or an invasion by marauding satyrs, should have been an accomplishment worth celebrating. However, the very concept of winning a battle and becoming a better Amazon had changed a great deal over the past five years.

On the surface, Diana carried herself as the proud Amazon princess who aspired to lead her sisters as queen one day. Her actions certainly backed up those impressions. Each new ability she gained and every new weapon she earned from various contests convinced even the most ardent Amazon that she had matured since her transgression. Aleka, and all her scathing remarks towards, was part of a declining minority that would one day disappear completely. Diana should have felt relieved. Instead, it only made Aleka's words cut even deeper.

'_Mother…sisters…why must you make it so difficult to be an Amazon? You give me so much love and support. You cheer me on as I strive to be a great warrior. If only you knew how much it hurts to hear those cheers.'_

As soon as Diana entered her quarters, she locked her door and covered her windows with curtains. Then, once certain that she had total privacy, she pulled out an unmarked chest from under her bed. This chest was the best kept secret in all of Themyscira. Every time she opened it, her hands trembled. But its contents contained a source of strength that helped guide her in ways her sisters could never understand.

"Why do I do this to myself? Why do I do this to my sisters? To my mother?" she said to herself.

The Amazon princess reached inside to retrieve the most forbidden objects that didn't belong to the gods. These were the artifacts of man's world that she had been smuggling for the past two years now. They included magazine, pictures, books, and various products produced by this world she had been told produced nothing of value for any Amazon. Just holding these things in her hands gave her tangible proof of how wrong her sisters were.

'_I might as well be a drunkard who cannot survive without several bottles of wine. Man's world has become my own worst vice. Kal-El might have given me my first insight, but I chose to dig deeper. I keep hoping I'll find something that'll disgust me to the point where I'll throw it all away. I'm starting to think that won't happen.'_

Diana began feeding her vice by opening up one of the magazines. It was a simple news magazine. It was somewhat outdated by a few months, but the insight it offered only deepened her fascination with man's world. It also gave her even more reasons to keep deceiving her mother and sisters, much to her dismay.

This had been going on since she gained the ability to fly. Under the guise of scouting missions, Diana would sneak off Themyscira to the closest populated island she could reach, which happened to be a popular vacation destination, as it was called. Cruise ships carrying men and women from all over the region would dock there, bringing relics of their culture and world with them. Most of what she found initially came from trash cans or anything the people discarded. Later on, she made contact with an exiled sister, another severe crime under the Amazon Code, who gave her access to more materials. It didn't take long before she became immersed in the culture of man's world.

Early on, she developed a healthy appetite for books about romance and war. She would stay up for hours on end, reading stories of men and women coming together and finding love. Some of these stories were fictional. Some were based on real stories. That led her to read more magazines that provided insight into the more contemporary cultures of man's world. These things they called movies, TV shows, and sports offered such a different perspective compared to what she had been taught by her sisters. There were some disheartening stories, especially those about the treatment of women in certain regions. However, time and again, the good overshadowed the bad, which only added to the conflict in her heart.

She tried not to think about that as she read through the magazine. The cover itself was pretty intriguing. It had an image of the world with a large question mark over top of it. Just above it read the headline, "Superpowered Beings: Gods Among Us?" It documented a growing list of cases that involved men and women wielding extraordinary powers carrying out extraordinary feats. This magazine in particular had sections on the various regions such as Gotham, Central City, Liverpool, and Khandaq. But it was the story in Metropolis that drew the most intrigue.

This is where the strain on her heart became too much. Seeing pictures of Kal-El, now known to the world as Superman, reminded her of all the emotions she felt for him that fateful day he washed up on the shores of Themyscira.

"Oh Kal…you're becoming so much more than I ever thought you would," said Diana as she placed her hand over a picture of Superman. "Now it seems others are joining you. It must be nice to not be so alone."

The princess held back a tear and turned the page, choosing not to add to the strain. In the stories that followed, she read a report about a group of men who rescued a little girl stranded in the jungle. Another story told of women who stood up to corrupt businessmen who refused to give them equal pay for their labors. There were even stories of men and women standing together, rising up against oppressive governments and demanding justice. These people weren't warriors. They were ordinary men and women, struggling in a world full of injustice. Yet here she was, a warrior who never once used her skills to further justice.

'_How can I be surrounded by so much love and feel so alone? The Amazons speak of justice, honor, and compassion. But they do nothing about it outside this god-granted paradise. I know I shouldn't be thinking these things. I certainly shouldn't be creating this burden when my mother tells me there is a greater conflict brewing. She expects me to be queen one day and lead my sisters into battle. But how can I be queen when our code feels so unjust?'_

Diana forced herself to close the magazine and put it away. Anymore at this point would only make it worse. She stuffed it back into the chest and prepared to close it. But before she could, her eyes fell upon the two most precious items in her illicit collection.

They were the only remnants of Kal-El's visit to Themyscira. One was the glass sphere that he forged for her to demonstrate his power. The other was a makeshift football that he crafted out of the skin of the wild boar they ate the night before he left. Originally, her mother ordered these items thrown away. Diana managed to retrieve them and had kept them under lock and key ever since. Every time she touched them, she recalled the warmth of his embrace. It brought more conflict into her already complicated world, but it also brought comfort.

Needing that comfort now more than ever, Diana grasped both the football and the glass orb. She may have been the strongest Amazon on Themyscira, but her Amazonian spirit only grew weaker every time she reminded herself of the bitter truth.

"Aleka is right and Mother is wrong…if only in part," she said distantly. "I know what it means to be a warrior, but I don't know what it means to be an Amazon anymore. You opened my eyes, Kal-El. You helped me see the world in a new way. I want to embrace that world, but I know I can't…not without losing everything I hold dear."

With a heavy heart, Diana put the football and the glass orb back into the chest and closed it. She looked over at her mirror briefly to see that she let only a slight tear escape her eyes. She quickly wiped it away. A warrior and the future queen of the Amazons wasn't supposed to cry. She was supposed to remain strong, no matter what her burden. With that burden becoming increasingly heavy, Diana closed her eyes and shut it all out as best she could before taking off her clothes and going to bed.

But just as she closed her eyes and drifted off, Apollo appeared in her mirror. Gods weren't supposed to spy on the Amazons. Zeus made it clear that they were off-limits. However, Apollo had never been keen on following his father's rules. Every now and then they paid off and this promised to significantly change his plans with Ares for the better.

"You poor, pampered princess. I would pity you if you weren't so pathetic," said the renegade god as he gazed upon Diana's sleeping form. "Ares is going to _love _this. I think our plans just got a lot less complicated."

* * *

**Syria Desert**

"_Come on, Superman! This can't possibly be your best,"_ barked an increasingly unstable John Corben.

"Believe me, Sergeant Corben. You don't want my best," warned Superman after avoiding yet another devastating attack.

"_Quit pretending you're stronger than me. Let the world see just how pathetic you are!"_

"And here I was thinking I would give you another chance to end this peacefully."

Superman had already accomplished one of his primary goals in attacking the prototype that contained Sergeant John Corben. He directed his attacks away from innocent bystanders. He spent the last several minutes leading him away from the city that contained the refugee camp and the bunker. As far as he could tell, Lois and the Lexcorp personnel attempting were still trying to activate the neural-disruptor. It didn't look like they had made much progress. That meant he would likely have to subdue Corben the hard way.

This prototype had been designed with him in mind, despite what the UN claimed. Corben demonstrated this by showing that he could channel the energy from the kryptonite in his chest and unleashing it in concentrated beams. Superman was able to avoid them, but he couldn't get too close to the oversized humanoid robot without getting weak. So as the prototype kept shooting at him, he kept his distance, remaining a moving target. As he avoided the attacks, he made a few more disturbing discoveries about this prototype and the man inside.

'_Luthor really went over budget on this one. Ever since he figured out that kryptonite can hurt me, he's gone to great lengths to weaponize it. If only he had spent that much time on the interface. Those crude neural connections really messed Corben up. Then again, he might have been messed up before then.'_

Superman kept leading the prototype away, drawing him into a clearing that appeared to be a dried up riverbed. He kept flying around the deadly device at high speeds, kicking up a sandstorm and bombarding the prototype with blistering winds. This made the prototype's movements a bit clumsier, but it didn't dissuade Corben in the slightest.

"_Do you really think you can win like this, Superman?"_ laughed the deranged ex-soldier. _"You're only going to make this more satisfying for me!"_

The prototype fired another kryptonite beam, but this time it had a wider arc. Superman couldn't avoid it entirely and immediately felt sickened when part of it struck him. He slowed down and descended slightly, becoming dizzier and less coordinated. But he never lost his focus. He kept on moving.

As he continued encircling the prototype, he noticed that parts of it started spewing this mist of greenish gas. Most of it was concentrated around the cockpit area where John Corben was piloting the device. It was a further testament to Luthor's workmanship and utter disregard for human life.

'_I want to feel sorry for this guy, but he's really making it hard. That gas must be some sort of stabilizing catalyst. It's crude, but it's the only way Luthor could have channeled the kryptonite. I doubt he expected the gas to react with the chemical weapons being used by the rebels.'_

Then the prototype fired another beam, this time in a more concentrated manner. It narrowly missed him, but was close enough to make him queasy. It forced him to rethink his last thought.

'_Scratch that. I think he did. He's too smart to overlook something like this. He knew that the second a rebel hit him with the gas that it would react with the catalyst. He wanted Sergeant Corben to go into a murderous rage. He must have thought that would put him at an advantage. Guess I'll have to prove him wrong.'_

Everything Superman saw in this prototype gave him more reasons to despise Lex Luthor. He was just about ready to add it to Lexcorp's growing pile of scrap metal. He just needed to get close enough to make his move.

As the battle between Superman and the prototype unfolded, Lois Lane made sure she documented every second of it. This promised to be yet another scathing story for Luthor. While his tech team kept working on the disruptor, she used a special portable camera that Jimmy Olsen had given her to capture the fight. She made sure to capture everything John Corben said as well. This would provide the most compelling footage, especially if Corben let slip how deeply Luthor had been involved.

"That's it, Superman. Keep him pissed off. Wait for him to drop Luthor's name and we'll have our story," said Lois as she zoomed in on the scene.

She kept ignoring the danger, watching and listening intently for anything that would add weight to this story. Then one of the technicians knocked the camera out of her hands and kicked it across the floor.

"Hey! What the hell?" exclaimed Lois.

"Trust me, lady. You don't want to do that," said the female technician. "You'll only make this harder on all of us."

"Is that how you _really _feel or is that just what Luthor told you to say?" she scoffed.

"I know your reputation, Ms. Lane. I'm not telling you anything that'll require my family to move to Antarctica. I'll just say there are a lot of people you would hurt if this became a bigger story."

"And how many more people would get hurt if the truth stays hidden?" asked Lois, "Keep in mind that there's an oversized death machine rampaging about half-a-mile away."

These were hard questions that nobody in this bunker was ready to answer. The female technician just looked at her with an irritated scowl while the rest of Luthor's tech team lowered their heads, hiding their expressions to avoid having to make excuses.

It was a common theme among any story that had ties to Lex Luthor. He made sure his people understood that there would be consequences if they divulged too much. Lois knew better than anyone how far Luthor would go to protect his image of genius billionaire businessman who could solve all the world's problems with his intellect. Many people had mysteriously disappeared as a result of his tactics. That only made her more determined to expose his dirty secrets, but these people weren't making it easy on her.

"I…I think I've got it!" said one of the technicians working on the device. "The disruptor is now active."

"That better not be an underhanded way of avoiding the question," said Lois firmly.

"I'm dead serious! We can activate it now."

"Then why the hell haven't you done it already?" asked the female technician.

"There's just one problem…we don't have the power," he said grimly.

"What?! But it's supposed to have its own power cell!"

"I'm afraid it was damaged to the point where we can only get a partial charge. And the backup cell was destroyed in the botched drone strike. So unless we hook into a new power source soon, that prototype won't be stopped."

The tech team had stopped tinkering, having reached a dead end. Lois scolded them even harder. Not only were they willing to protect Lex Luthor from the truth, but they couldn't even fix this clunky device enough to help Superman. This just kept getting more and more frustrating. She was ready to berate these Luthor apologists in every way they deserved.

Then, another unexpected presence entered the bunker. It was a man wearing a flak jacket, a baseball cap, and cargo pants. As soon as he saw Lois and the tech team, he smiled.

"Well this is way more promising than I thought," he said. "I knew those tracks had to lead somewhere."

"Oh great, another one," groaned one of the technicians, "And who are you? Another annoying news jock who refuses to respect restricted war zones?"

"The names Jonathan Carroll and I've more respect for war zones than you think. I also have a truck with half-a-tank of gas, a makeshift camera crew, and some water. If any of you are interested, you'll offer up a few sound bites to my story."

Almost immediately, this man became Lois Lanes new favorite person. It helped that he had a handsome face and little respect for arbitrary press blackouts. He made the overwhelmed and beleaguered tech team writhe in a way she could never have done on her own. Now they had incentive to turn on their boss. They also had the means to end this conflict.

"Well Mr. Carroll, I think I speak for everyone here when I say your timing is impeccable," said Lois.

"Speak for yourself," muttered the female technician that had attacked Lois earlier.

"It's a trick of the trade. It's keeps people like us alive in places like this long enough to get the story," said Jonathan.

"And you can become part of that story for all the right reasons if that truck, you mentioned, has jumper cables," added Lois.

"I think I have a pair. I never enter a war zone under-equipped."

"I'm sure you don't," said Lois with a hint of subtext.

Jonathan didn't waste a second heading back to his truck to get the cables. Lois ran after him, grabbing the female technician by the collar and dragging her with along for the ride. She didn't appreciate it, but they didn't have the luxury of being friendly at this point.

"Tell me your standard truck can provide enough juice to turn that thing on," said Lois.

"Speaking from my extensive expertise in the subject, it's a longshot at best," she said with little confidence.

"I'm willing to play the odds. And I'm willing to bet Superman is as well."

While Lois went to work with Jonathan and the tech team, the battle against him and the prototype continued to escalate. The greenish gas cloud around the humanoid battle structure kept growing. Parts of it even sparked as it clashed with the swirling sandstorms that Superman had kicked up. It threatened to spread into populated areas, meaning this battle couldn't end quickly enough.

Superman narrowly avoided more Kryptonite blasts. In the distance, he saw more drones approaching. The UN was going to try and blow the prototype to bits again, which would most likely spread the gas cloud even farther. He couldn't let that happen. That meant he had to go in for the finishing blow.

'_The UN isn't cooperating and Luthor's flunkies aren't coming through. Guess I'm going to have to shut Corben down with the direct approach. It's probably going to hurt in ways I'm not used to. Luthor's probably going to enjoy it. I'll make sure to get back at him later. Right now, I need to end this before anyone else gets hurt.'_

Despite lingering nausea from the kryptonite, Superman slowed down and took aim with his heat vision. In between kryptonite blasts, he struck the prototype around the central area just above the kryptonite power cell. It opened a sliver between the panels of metallo armor. This exotic metal was too hard to just cut open so he would have to find a narrow opening to reach the inner components of the prototype. That meant getting uncomfortably close to the kryptonite.

"Here goes," he said with a deep breath.

Braving the greenish gas and swirling sands, Superman flew right into the gut of the imposing prototype and struck the panels he had just loosened. He struck it hard enough to dislodge the panels, exposing the interior of the oversized death machine. That included Sergeant Corben himself, who stood within a complex, albeit messy, interface of wires and controls. But in seeing this interface, he confirmed what he already dreaded.

"Good Lord, Luthor. What have you done?" Superman gasped.

This prototype went much further than making just another battle suit. The controls had actually been integrated into Sergeant Corben's nervous system. That meant when the systems reacted poorly with the chemical weapons agent, it seeped into his flesh. It didn't just leave him physically burned. It scarred his mind. His face, which had no fewer than a hundred wires going into it, looked utterly deranged. His body and his mind had become detached, leaving him unhinged and beyond reason.

"_Finally! We meet face-to-face,"_ said Corben menacingly. _"Now I can look you in the eye when I kill you."_

"It doesn't have to be this way, Sergeant. Look at what Luthor has done to you. Is this what you think a soldier looks like?" asked Superman.

"_I don't care. I know what a threat to the human race looks like and I have the perfect weapon to take it out!"_

In his unstable state, Sergeant Corben redirected all the energy from the Kryptonite onto his position. This caused more gas to spew out, shrouding them both in a poisonous mist. It quickly sapped Superman's strength and left him feeling ill and disoriented. He struggled to hold onto the panels he ripped open, fighting with all his might not to succumb to the weakness. There was no way he had enough strength to tear through the heavy gears to disable to prototype. He also didn't have the power to use his heat vision to disconnect the wires going into Sergeant Corben's body. But, as he learned five years ago, he didn't always need to use his powers to win a battle.

'_Don't have much time before the gas starts to get to me. Need to focus. Find your opponents, hit it hard, and endure. Great warriors don't have to overpower their enemies. They just have to outlast them.'_

His thoughts echoed the very words Diana once told him when he trained with her during their brief time together. She didn't get a chance to show him much, but she showed him enough to demonstrate the difference between someone who was strong and someone who was a warrior.

Sergeant Corben seethed with malice as he increased the intensity of the kryptonite beam. Superman made sure he thought he was on the brink of collapse. He had to be overly confident that he was about to do what nobody thought was possible and defeat Superman.

"_That's it! Whither like the pathetic coward you are. Prove to the world that you're as foolish as any man,"_ proclaimed Corben.

"Speak for yourself," said Superman under his breath.

With one last burst of strength, Superman lunged forward into the heart of the tangled gears surrounding the prototype. Armed with only a fraction of his strength, he attacked Sergeant Corben's wired form within the core of the prototype.

He caught the deranged man by surprised, ensuring he had no chance to brace himself. Superman made sure he struck at just the right points, exactly as Diana had taught him. He used his forearm to hit Sergeant Corben right in the neck, choking him off and stunning him. He then hit Corben right in the sternum, sending a shock that knocked the wind out of him and sent a punishing jolt to his heart. The impact had a quick and immediate effect on Corben. Even in his maddened state, he was struck by a paralyzing feeling all over his body.

"_Ack!"_ was all he got out.

The feeling quickly spread to the rest of the prototype, causing it to stumble and lose its balance. Superman made sure the attack wasn't lethal. Mad or not, John Corben didn't deserve to die for Lex Luthor's aspirations. He made sure Corben didn't have a chance to recover, keeping his forearm pressed against his neck and holding on as the prototype fell to the parched desert surface.

As soon as it impacted, much of the already-damaged interior collapsed. Gears warped, cables snapped, and motors failed. The whole support system for this walking war machine fell apart in spectacular fashion. In addition, the power systems feeding into the kryptonite containment cell failed, effectively cutting off the flow of radiation and providing Superman with some much needed relief from its poisonous effects.

It was all over within ten seconds. The prototype collapsed and Superman ended up falling out through the slit he created. He ended up landing atop the metallic behemoth, just above the kryptonite cell. It was sufficiently shielded to limit its effects. The hot desert sun also helped replenish the strength he had lost in the attack. So for a moment, he attempted to catch his breath. However, Sergeant Corben wasn't ready to end the battle, even if the prototype was disabled.

"_Nnn…NOOO! I will not…let it end…like this!"_ he exclaimed.

His body burned and still covered in wires, he fought his way through the mangled gears of the prototype and climbed out from the control area. He set his deranged sights on the still-recovering Superman, hoping to reach him before he regained his strength. But before he could take one step closer, he was struck with one last paralyzing blow. This time, however, it didn't come from Superman.

"_AAAGGGHHH!"_ Sergeant Corben cried out as he clutched his head in agony.

Superman didn't need his X-ray vision to figure out what had just happened. The sparks shooting out from the wires in his head gave it away. While he often went into battle assuming the worst, he was often surprised by how much lucky breaks he got, thanks to his friends.

He could already hear Lois and the tech team breathing a sigh of relief in the bunker. There was even someone else cheering. He would have to thank him too when he got a chance. With the destruction of the prototype, the drones pulled away. This prototype had done enough damage in this war torn region. It marked another battle won for Superman. Again, he needed help from friends like Lois Lane. But that didn't bother him. As he learned five years ago, inspiring others to do the right thing was as great a strength as any power.

'_She did it again. Lois, I don't know how you keep pulling it off. Between your knack for dealing with danger and the skills Diana taught me, I keep becoming a better Superman. With all these monsters Lex Luthor keeps throwing at me are any indication, I'll need to keep getting better to keep up.'_

* * *

**Themyscira – Temple of Hera**

"Goddess Hera, hear my prayers! I seek your guidance. For my sisters and my daughter, please show me the way," proclaimed Queen Hippolyta in a heartfelt prayer.

It had been a while since Hippolyta had sought the presence of the gods so intently. For most of their history, the Amazons had a very structured relationship with Olympus. Various gods regularly visited them on numerous occasions. Sometimes it was part of a ceremony. Sometimes it was to celebrate a holiday. Sometimes it was to bestow on them new skills and abilities. It was rare for an Amazon to seek a private audience with the gods and it was even rarer when they answered. At the moment, she needed divine guidance.

After most of her sisters had either turned in for the night or taken up guard duty, Hippolyta entered the Temple of Hera and sealed herself inside. She entered the sacred shrine in the center of the temple, which had been ordained with a beautifully sculpted statue of Hera, the goddess that had initially answered her prayer after her defeat at the hands of Hercules. Now for the past half-hour, she had been on her knees, calling out to the goddess.

"Please goddess, I need your divine wisdom," she prayed. "I'm told a new chaos is brewing…one that the Amazons are ill-equipped to confront. This comes at a time when my daughter is still clashing with her sisters when she needs to be preparing herself for the day she becomes their queen. I feel fate is working against us. Tell me, Hera…what must I do?"

A sharp gust blew through the halls of the temple, causing the various candles and torches surrounding the statue to flicker. The air around the statute soon became hot, giving the distinct feeling of a presence nearby. Hippolyta continued her praying, sensing that someone was now listening to her pleas. However, the presence that emerged did not feel like Hera.

"Enough with the desperation, Queen Hippolyta. Olympus hears all your prayers. We just don't always have the time or the capacity to answer them," said a deep, male voice.

Hippolyta opened her eyes and looked up to see Apollo standing before her. The flames from the candles and torches had come to life, forming a figure in front of Hera's statue. He had not been the god she prayed to, but she stood up and bowed respectfully none-the-less.

"Lord Apollo, this is an unexpected honor," greeted the queen. "Forgive my formalities, but I was seeking the voice of Hera."

"Well she is preoccupied with other godly matters, so I guess you'll have to make due with me," said Apollo casually. "That's probably a good thing because I doubt she would want to say what I've come here to say."

"What do you mean? Is there trouble on Olympus?" asked Hippolyta.

Apollo pretended to appear solemn, taking comfort in the knowledge that Hippolyta's piety would prevent her from questioning him. What he was about to do would cause great upheaval among the Amazons and among Olympus. He was sure to upset many, increasing the already growing anxiety among his fellow gods. But that's exactly what he needed at the moment. His plans with Ares had entered a new stage and, as was often the case on Olympus, discord was their greatest ally.

"I'm afraid there is trouble of a very pressing kind," said Apollo. "However, it doesn't involve Olympus. It involves your daughter."

* * *

**Up next: Heartbreak**


	5. Heartbreak

**Strangers In Paradise  
Chapter 5: Heartbreak**

* * *

**Themyscira**

After a fairly restless night, Diana woke up before sunrise, as she often did, to train on her own. That usually involved a quick flight around the island and a few exercises along the beach. She avoided contact with Aleka and most of her sisters. No doubt word had spread about her sparring match the other day. That meant the next few days would be filled with suspicion and concern.

While most of the Amazons refrained from discussing it with her, Diana sensed that it occupied their minds. It was one of those unspoken rules on Themyscira. On the outside, they showed the princess respect and loyalty. On the inside, however, they remained conflicted. There was no doubt that some probably agreed with Aleka's sentiment. Even those that didn't probably still thought about it constantly. It was like an obstacle nobody wanted to confront. With all this talk about her becoming queen one day, it didn't exactly establish a foundation for new leadership.

'_I can't keep doing this to myself. I can't keep claiming to be an honorable Amazon when I'm not sure what an honorable Amazon even entails. How can I expect to become a true Amazon, let alone their queen, while having these doubts? I can only hide behind my strength and skills for so long. At some point, I need to confront my mother and my sisters. Something must change. I just hope it doesn't come too soon. Nobody is ready for it…especially me.'_

Diana once again shut out this internal struggle that had plagued her for four years now. She had a long day ahead of her. She and some of her sisters planned to do some scouting missions through Tartarus. More often than not, those ended in harpy attacks and the occasional Minotaur stampede. Combat and training often provided the best distraction from these issues and she needed that now more than ever.

As the sun began to rise over Themyscira, Diana returned to her quarters so she could prepare for battle. But to her surprise, somebody was already in her room sitting on her bed.

"Mother? What are you doing here?" asked Diana, taken aback by her presence.

The queen didn't respond. She wasn't even facing her. She was just sitting on Diana's bed, hunched over something. She lacked her usual regal poise. She wasn't usually up this early and she never just barged into her room without her permission. It was more than enough to turn Diana's surprise into dread.

"Mother…is something wrong?" she asked anxiously.

"I honestly don't know, Diana. I was hoping you could tell me," her mother replied in the flattest tone she had ever heard.

When Hippolyta turned around, she had a look on her face that could have frozen Hades itself. In doing so, she revealed that one of Diana's worst fears had come true. In front of her, the chest she hid under her bed lay open and its forbidden contents exposed. This alone was damning enough for any Amazon. But for the princess, it was something far worse.

For the first time since she was a child, Diana trembled. She actually took a step back as her mother rose up from the bed, her expression wrought with a mix of anger and pain. In one hand, she had the magazine she had been reading last night. In the other, she had the glass orb that Kal-El had made her. It looked like she had actually been crying. Diana had seen her mother in the heat of battle, but she had never seen her this upset before.

"Tell me this is a cruel trick of the gods! Tell me this isn't what I think it is!" shouted Hippolyta as she held up the magazine, "Because if it is, you've just spent the last five years conspiring to break my heart!"

* * *

**Syria – One Day Ago**

"So how are you holding up, Superman? It looked like Corben had you on the ropes for a while," said Lois as she passed Superman a bottle of water.

"I'll be fine, Lois. I've taken far worse punishment than this," assured Superman.

"Don't I know it. Just thought I'd make sure. Someone in this crazy world has to worry about you."

Superman smiled at Lois' coy remark as he accepted the bottle of water. A few moments ago, he finished giving her an exclusive statement. It was part of the unique relationship they had built since he became Superman. He trusted her to report the pure, unfiltered truth and she always did. Her efforts were a big reason why Superman had become such a global icon. For that, Lois was very special to him. At times, this unique relationship took on other, more personal dynamics.

As she sat with him near the bunker where this conflict had ended, they watched a sizable contingent of UN peacekeepers haul off the now comatose Jonathan Corben and the prototype. The members of Luthor's tech team were detained as well. Their very presence in a war zone roused plenty of suspicions. Not surprisingly, they refused to say a word. That was probably how Lex Luthor planned out. He made sure everyone who worked for him had plenty of incentive to keep their mouth shut. That made pinning this incident on him exceedingly difficult, but they had more than enough facts to further discredit him.

"Looks like only part of the story here is going to get told," commented Lois as several UN troops loaded Sergeant Corben into a transport. "The medic said something went insanely wrong in that gizmo. Apparently, the kryptonite coupled with that ridiculously invasive interface did some real damage."

"I can't help but feel sorry for him. I doubt Luthor warned him it would get this bad," said Superman.

"Don't feel too sorry for him. I've read up on this guy's record. He deserves only _slightly _more sympathy than Lex Luthor. This story won't bring him down or send him to jail, but it will get people talking."

"We'll need more than that. The longer we allow Lex Luthor to operate, the worse these incidents will be. The man may be a megalomaniacal narcissist, but he's no fool. He's also getting better at making ungodly monstrosities that can hurt me."

"If only it were as simple as catching him making stupid comments on Twitter," sighed Lois.

"At some point, he's going to cross a line. That's when a lot more people start getting hurt. I hope we can stop him before that happens."

"We will. You've got the muscle. I've got the truth. How can we possibly lose?"

She affectionately latched onto his arm, which helped set Superman at ease. He had come to appreciate her touch. Lois could be a harsh personality at times, but she was still capable of great compassion. At times, it helped keep him anchored. The care and affection of someone like Lois Lane reminded him that while he might not be from this world, he was still human. At the same time, however, it also evoked complicated feelings that were difficult to confront. And lately, Lois had been more vocal about it.

"While we're on the subject of talking, I was hoping to discuss something before you flew off on me again," said Lois, her tone taking on a very different subtext.

"What about?" asked Superman, although he already had a pretty good idea.

"I know you're tough, but don't be dense," she told him. "You and I have made a lot of news together these past few years. I like to think we've gotten to know each other pretty well."

"We have," he told her sincerely.

"So then why don't we try to learn a little more? I look at you and I see both a man and a Superman. I already know Superman. But I want to know more about the man. And I'm not talking the kind of things that make the news either. I'm talking about _other_ things…the kinds of things you share with someone you worry about."

She then reached for his hand and briefly took it in hers. Again, her touch was so soothing. It would have been easy to just hold on and let Lois say what had been on both their minds for quite some time now. However, Superman forced himself to let go and part from her embrace to avoid more conflicting emotions entered the equation.

"I'm sorry, Lois. But I…I can't do that," he said to her in a strained tone.

"Wait! Maybe that didn't come out right. Or maybe a desert war zone isn't the best place to have this conversation," said Lois quickly.

"No, it's not that. There are reasons why we don't share these things. And I think we need to remind ourselves of that."

"I don't need to be reminded. Some of those reasons are too stupid to forget," said Lois with folded arms.

"Maybe they are, but that doesn't make them wrong."

Lois remained unconvinced. There was an awful lot this man wasn't telling her. She understood early on why he kept certain details of his life private. He had to in order to be the Superman that the world needed him to be. That didn't mean he couldn't connect with people. In fact, he needed connect with people to be a better Superman, but he refused to do it.

Sensing she was getting upset, Superman placed a hand on her shoulder and cupped her chin. There were a lot of things he wanted to say to her. There were things he needed to get out of his system because keeping them bottled up wasn't making these feelings go away. His thoughts drifted back the experience he had on Paradise Island with Diana. The hard lessons he learned still affected him to this day, both as Clark Kent and as Superman, and one of those lessons involved dealing with difficult emotions.

"I really care about you, Lois. Don't think for a second that I don't," he told her.

"Skip the part where you soften the blow. If I want to listen to a man beat around the bush, I'll talk to Clark Kent," sighed Lois.

"Well I'm sure he has his reasons too, but I can only tell you mine," said Superman, ignoring the irony in mentioning Clark Kent. "You see, a number of years ago I learned the hard what happens when emotions get us untangled in things we can't control. It doesn't just put us in danger. It makes it next to impossible to do the right thing."

"So you think the only solution is to avoid emotional entanglement altogether?" questioned Lois. "I don't know if that counts as logic on Krypton, but here on Earth we call that bullshit."

"It's not a solution because emotional entanglements are not usually a problem for most people. But those people aren't Superman. They're not the last of their kind, living in a world that so few understand and even fewer can relate to."

"Sounds lonely as hell," muttered Lois.

"It is. But this is how it has to be. Superman can't afford to have emotional entanglements. I can't put myself or anyone else through that."

"But why? Is it because you think I'm not strong enough?"

"No Lois…it's because this is what I choose."

That effectively ended the argument. Superman took it beyond circumstances, emotional barriers, and potential danger. He made it a matter of choice and he chose to stop this before it became too painful for both of them. It struck Lois in a way that left her feeling a hard twinge in her heart. However, his every word still echoed with the truth. Being a champion of the truth, she didn't bother avoiding it.

He continued to caress her chin, casting her a solemn gaze. He offered a slight smile in an effort to not end this on a bad note. Superman then let go, having said everything that needed to be said.

"I'm sorry, Lois," he told her.

"Don't be. If you really believe you're making the right choice, then don't apologize for it," said Lois solemnly.

"Just know that I won't stop caring about you. And I won't let complicated emotions keep me from doing the right thing."

"Of course you won't. You're Superman," she said, managing a slight smile.

With those reassuring words, Superman flew off into the sky, kicking up a sharp gust of wind in his wake. Lois watched as he disappeared in a reddish blue blur. For a moment, she hugged her shoulders and sighed. This wasn't how she hoped the conversation would end, but perhaps it was for the best. Otherwise, it would have just been more painful for the both of them down the line.

As she swallowed her emotions, she couldn't help but wonder what led Superman to making this choice. He claimed he wanted to do the right thing, but she suspected there was something else influencing that choice.

'_He always makes the hard choices, but did it have to be THIS hard? He can't possibly have that many good reasons for remaining unattached. There has to be something else at work here. He's too human for it to be this simple…relatively speaking. Even if it is better this way, that doesn't mean I have to like it.'_

Lois continued scrutinizing everything that had just happened. She didn't usually get this worked up, even in a war zone. This felt like one of those things that just needed time and maybe a few additional distractions. As Lois stood lost in thought, she barely noticed Jonathan Carroll walking up to her.

"You okay, Ms. Lane? You look pretty down for someone who just got the most sought-after exclusive in the world," he said.

"Believe it or not, the thrill of interviewing Superman wears off fairly quickly," said Lois. "He only ever gives what people need of him. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Sounds to me like your excitement for this story has worn off. It also sounds to me like you could use a drink and a hot meal. If you want, I know where we can get one, even in a war zone like this."

Jonathan had a suggestive yet sincere undertone. It should have been inappropriate for a moment like this, but for some reason Lois found herself smiling. She hadn't forgotten that this man had braved a war zone and helped stop the prototype. She also hadn't forgotten that he had a handsome face. Seeing as how Superman had made his choice, it was only fair that she make one of her own.

"Sure," she said to him. "I'd like that."

* * *

**Syria – Present Time**

Their work in this war zone complete, Clark spent most of the day preparing for the trip back to Metropolis. It promised to be a bittersweet flight. His conversation with Lois led to a restless night and a lonely morning. In between packing and making various calls back to Perry, he kept second-guessing the choice he made with Lois. It may have been the right thing to do, but it left him with many wrong feelings.

'_You did what you had to do, Clark. Quit tormenting yourself over the details. It would never work between you and Lois. Superman can't get attached. He can't let emotions cloud his judgment. It's better this way.'_

That's what he kept telling himself, hoping it would sink in faster. Right now, he needed to focus less on Superman's personal affairs and more on Clark Kent's professional affairs.

After gathering as many facts and footage as they could from the front lines, they hitched a ride with a UN convoy back to a hotel in the demilitarized zone. He had a chance to meet up with Lois as Clark Kent, who said Jonathan Carroll had some footage they could share for the story. After being debriefed by the UN and going over the story, they went their separate ways for the evening. Clark managed to maintain his composure around Lois. It would probably be awkward for a while, even when he was out of costume. But he expected it to get easier as time went on.

Once all the equipment was packed, he left his hotel room and made his way down the hall towards Lois' room. Their flight was scheduled to take off in a little under two hours and Perry expected them to be finished with the story before they landed.

"Lois! Are you ready to go?" Clark called out as he knocked on the door. "I've got everything packed. Our taxi should be here in twenty minutes."

There was no response at first, but he heard footsteps behind the door. Lois was usually pretty punctual. Most of the time, she was the one who ended up knocking on his door to remind him of the schedule. With a touch of concern, he knocked again.

"Hey Lois! Are you okay?" he called out.

This time, the door opened, revealing Lois in a white bathrobe with wet hair.

"Cool your jets, Smallville. I heard you the first time," she said. "I'll be ready in a few."

"Well don't take too long. Perry's not being very flexible with this deadline."

"Don't worry. If he gets moody, I'll set him straight," said Lois confidently.

Her tone and demeanor surprised him, especially after the conversation she had with him as Superman the other day. It further heightened his suspicions. Something was definitely amiss here.

"You sound unusually bold this morning. Are you sure everything's alright?" he asked her.

Before she could answer, a voice rang out from the bathroom. In being so lost in his own thoughts, Clark didn't realize that there was someone else in the room with her.

"Hey Lois! I'm done shaving. The sink's all yours," said Jonathan as he stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel.

At that moment, his suspicions turned to awkwardness. No further words were necessary now. Clark was able to piece together the situation using none of his superpowers and only his basic reporting skills. He noticed Lois and Jonathan's clothes messily strewn along the hotel room floor. Somehow, Lois' bra ended up draped over the TV, hinting that it had been discarded quite recklessly. In addition, the sheets of the bed had been noticeably wrinkled. It had all the tell-tale signs of a rather passionate night.

Naturally, Clark shifted uncomfortably as he made the connections. Jonathan shifted somewhat as well when he saw him. The only one who didn't seem uncomfortable was Lois, who just kept grinning.

"Oh…hello Clark," said Jonathan sheepishly while drying his hair.

"Good morning, Mr. Carroll," said Clark awkwardly.

"Don't make this more hilarious than it needs to be, Smallville," said Lois curtly. "I'll meet you downstairs in a bit. I'm sure you have plenty of questions."

"Not as many as you think," he said under his breath.

"I'll answer them anyways. Now go. We've got a deadline to meet, remember?"

She then closed the door, leaving Clark in a state of stunned silence. He had enough to process already. This only added to the strain. It didn't help that he could still hear them talking with his super-hearing.

"Well that was more awkward than it needed to be," he heard Jonathan say. "Clark looked like someone just ran over his dog. Did you two have a thing or something?"

"What? Me and Clark? Of course not," he heard Lois reply. "He's a friend…a really good friend. If he wanted to lift my spirits the way you did last night, he had more than his share of chances. He wouldn't be the first guy either."

"So what does that make me?" he asked her.

"Depends on how you look at it. Right now, I see you as the lucky guy who chose to take a chance – and in a war zone no less. But that's just my opinion."

"Mmm…I'll take it."

He then heard their lips touch. Clark had to turn away before he was tempted to look with his X-ray vision. With his head held low and his hands in his pockets, he made his way towards the back to his room to gather his things. He didn't need to see Lois kissing another man. That was her business. But after seeing how vulnerable she had been yesterday, it surprised him that she made a choice like this so quickly. Given the circumstances, maybe he shouldn't have been.

'_Well, it's official now. I've made my choice. Lois made hers. You're a lucky man, Jonathan Carroll…you and so many others like you. You get to take a chance on someone. But Superman…he can't take that chance. Superman – and Clark Kent by default – has to be alone.'_

* * *

**Themyscira - Diana's Quarters**

"How could you do this, Diana? How could you make such a reckless decision _again_?!" exclaimed a furious Queen Hippolyta.

Diana could offer no response that wouldn't have enraged her mother even more. She remained silent, paralyzed by her mother's harsh gaze and outraged words. All those earlier concerns she had about confronting her sisters now took on a much more pressing tone. Now the idea of becoming queen was the least of her worries.

Hippolyta now stood only a few feet away from her daughter, still angrily clutching the magazine and the glass orb. She looked down on Diana the same way she looked down on a wounded harpy. She knew what she did was an affront to the Amazon code. She also knew it directly contradicted her commitment to winning back the respect of her sisters and becoming a true Amazon. But the worst part of all – and the part that wounded Hippolyta the most – was that Diana had to know on some levels how much this would hurt her mother.

"Well?! Are you going to explain yourself?" the queen yelled.

"What's there to explain? I can't tell you what you want to hear. Even if I did, you wouldn't believe me," said Diana flatly.

"So you're not even going to attempt to lie? Even when you've clearly become so good at it these past five years?" she scoffed.

"This isn't about lies. Do you honestly think I would hoard these forbidden artifacts just to hurt you?"

"Collecting forbidden artifacts is hardly the worst crime I see before me," said Hippolyta, "But doing so after you promised me you would commit yourself to becoming a true Amazon? A promise you made to me and all your sisters?"

"I never intended to break that promise."

"Well it's too late now!" the queen shouted.

In an angry fit, she threw the magazine across the room. She was a mother betrayed, hurt by the daughter she cherished so dearly. She believed Diana when she committed to atoning for her transgression. She supported her as she fought and struggled to become the greatest warrior in Themyscira. Now she found out that she never truly atoned. Her daughter's heart and mind had been tainted by man's world. And this time, she had no excuses.

"I can't believe this! I don't want to believe it, but you won't even try to deny it!" yelled Hippolyta. "One encounter with one man – an accident of fate five years ago – and that's all it took to corrupt my daughter!"

"Mother, stop for a moment and calm yourself. I know what I've done. Yelling at me isn't going to change that," said Diana.

"Well what am I supposed to do? You still haven't even tried to apologize!" her mother explained.

"On the honor of my sword, I was going to confront you about this. I swear!"

"Don't belittle your mother, Diana. Am I to believe you intended to just sit down one day and reveal that you never meant what you said five years ago? That your curiosity about man's world was more important than your own mother?"

"My love for you and my sisters has _never_ been in doubt. This doesn't change that."

"And when were you going to bring this up? After you had been crowned queen?" Hippolyta went on. "Was that your endgame? Wait until you had the authority to get away with your crimes?"

"Damn it, stop assuming I think _that _little of my family!" said Diana, now getting frustrated as well.

"Well you clearly think highly of the corrupt world that every Amazons has sworn to oppose. Clearly, I wasn't detailed enough when I described the many reasons why we oppose that world. I thought I had articulated clearly why your experience with one man was an anomaly and nothing more. I even prayed to Athena that she would show you the wisdom to understand this. I suppose my prayers weren't answered. For all I know, you would have rejected them too."

Hippolyta's outrage gave way to a sterner demeanor. Diana was once again at a loss, unable to say anything that could possibly temper her mother's state. There were so many issues she wanted to talk about. These issues had been plaguing her since before Kal-El ever arrived on their shores. This code she swore to uphold and these values the Amazons championed left her so conflicted and she believed that the love she had for her mother and sisters could resolve that conflict. It was now clear to her that she had been wrong.

Finally, as despair set in, Diana held her head low. She still couldn't bring herself to apologize. She also couldn't bring herself to argue with her mother any further. It felt like her heart, spirit, and mind had betrayed her. Whatever punishment her mother administered this time could never do justice to the sorrow she now felt.

"Then what are we to do, mother? What can we do?" asked Diana solemnly.

Seeing her daughter bow her head in shame only reaffirmed all the terrible feelings Hippolyta endured. She desperately wanted to purge her daughter of this corruption. It wasn't fair that these acts could undermine all these years of love and support.

As she fumed in anger, her gaze shifted towards the glass orb she still had in her hand. She remembered that Diana told her that the man she encountered created this with his god-like powers. It must have been an impressive feat to a young, vulnerable mind. It was more than enough to corrupt her daughter to the point that she would betray her sisters and everything they stood for.

Now holding up the glass orb in front of Diana, she turned her attention to the man that she never got to confront. This man might not have been Hercules, but he still found a way to wound her in the worst possible way. As a mother and a queen, his corruption had to end now.

"This cannot stand, Diana. You need to make a choice – your sisters or this man," said Hippolyta in a low, menacing tone, "And since I can no longer trust you to act as a true Amazon, I suppose I'll have to make part of that choice for you!"

Then, in a show of blind anger and pent up anguish, Hippolyta threw the glass orb down on the floor, shattering it right before Diana. When she saw this, her despair turned to horror.

"Mother no!" Diana cried out.

"Be silent, Diana," said Hippolyta coldly. "You are an Amazon. It's high time you accept what that entails."

As the echoes of the shattered glass orb reverberated with her mother's harsh words, Diana fell to her knees in a fit of shock. Her whole world stopped. Every overwhelming emotion ceased and her thoughts froze. With a distant gaze, she gathered some of the shattered glass and held it in her hand.

This innocuous object, which had come to symbolize the connection she forged with Kal-El that fateful day they met, lay broken and lost. Her own mother, who she had always loved and trusted, took something from her that meant so much. For a moment, she couldn't process how this made her feel. It was only when she clutched the broken shards in her hand and let them crumble to dust that a new range of feelings came over her.

"An Amazon…is that all I'm meant to become?" said Diana in her daze.

As she watched the dust fall from her hands, a powerful new emotion gripped Diana. Anger, outrage, despair, and sorrow took on a whole new dimension in light of a new feeling. In seeing her mother destroy this precious relic, Diana realized something that she should have realized long ago. Looking up at her mother, she no longer saw the nurturing woman who inspired her to become a great warrior. She saw a woman who personified the very antithesis of what she strived to be.

"Don't bother answering. I already know what you'll say," she said with more disdain than she had ever dared. "I always knew you were tough with your values, mother. But I never thought you would be this _dense_."

"Be careful with your words, Diana. You are not just speaking to your mother. You are speaking to your queen!" said Hippolyta firmly.

"No. I'm not. You don't deserve that title. You don't deserve to be called queen any more than the Amazons deserve to call themselves warriors," said Diana as she rose up to confront her mother.

"You're only making this worse for yourself. Quit now and spare yourself further indignation!" Hippolyta demanded.

"Stop talking to me like I'm a child!" spat Diana.

"Then quit acting like one by insulting your heritage!"

"I'd rather be a child than a hypocrite," scoffed Diana, "Because as far as I'm concerned, that's all our heritage affords us. If you can't see that, then you're just deluding to yourself."

Hippolyta's regal demeanor faltered at her daughter's cold words. Her authority as her mother and her queen no longer carried any weight. Diana now looked at her with a level of disgust that caught her off-guard. It was one thing to throw around petty insults, but this was something far more egregious. Even the strongest, toughest queen could only handle so much.

In seeing her mother falter, Diana became bolder. This new sense of clarity completely changed her outlook on who she was, where she came from, and what she aspired to be. It felt so obvious. Someone should have realized it sooner. It only revealed the depths of her mother's hypocrisy and that of her sisters.

"Every day, from the moment I could wield a sword, you and my sisters preach the values of an Amazon warrior. You speak of compassion, love, respect, and honor," said Diana, speaking over her mother with unrelenting scorn. "I embraced all those values with all my heart. I wanted nothing more than to be the greatest champion of our sisters and our legacy."

"And you still can," said Hippolyta, now trying to salvage this growing restatement.

"You've just proven I can't…because you've just proven that the Amazons never actually practiced those values. They only ever applied them to each other, never the world beyond them."

"That world is corrupt!" Hippolyta argued.

"It doesn't matter!" Diana retorted with greater fervor. "Either they apply to everyone or they apply to no one. Now maybe I'd have accepted this if I didn't know there were parts of man's world that weren't corrupt. But I _do_ know. Kal-El is living proof that there are parts of that world which deserve those values. Neither you nor any of my sisters will acknowledge that. You're too clouded by your hatred of all men and for what reason? Because of crimes that one man and his army committed?"

"Don't you _dare _make light of those crimes."

"Speak for yourself, mother. You're the one using them as an excuse cling to your hatred and further your hypocrisy! For just one moment, let go of that hatred and think about those values that we're supposed to uphold. Can you truly say that you champion those values when you apply them only to those you see fit? Who are you to determine who is worthy? And who are we to blindly trust your judgment?"

These were questions that no Amazon had dared ask. Growing up, Diana often confounded Hippolyta with questions of man's world and the traditions the Amazons had in dealing with it. For years, she had been able to navigate those questions, providing her daughter only with what she deemed necessary for understanding. She had been willing to attribute these questions to those of a curious child, but the woman standing before her was no child.

The traditions that insulated Themyscira from man's world had been maintained for centuries. Hippolyta had a long list of reasons why such traditions had propagated. She could've spent a week listing them all. But without even listing one, she came to a painful yet inescapable conclusion. None of these reasons were justified. She might not have agreed with Diana's new interpretation of Amazon values, but she couldn't disagree with it. As a result, the queen of the Amazons responded only with silence, further adding to the tension.

A tipping point had been reached. This time, Hippolyta could not or would not give Diana the answers she sought. Faced with such painful revelations, a difficult decision awaited them both. Her mother had made a decision before she even entered her room. Now Diana had a choice to make and, as Kal-El had shown her, she needed to make the right one.

"I see. If this is how it's going to be, so be it. I can no longer be a part of it," said Diana with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

"What are you saying, Diana?" asked Hippolyta. "Are you not even going to _try _and understand why we do what we do?"

"Why should I bother? You and the rest of my sisters are unable to see through your past pain. And so long as that pain guides your judgment, there can be no understanding…only excuses."

Rather than waste her time arguing with her mother, Diana turned this difficult choice into difficult actions. She casually removed her Amazon attire and discarded it like a dirty rag. Now fully nude, she stormed past her mother, lightly shoving her along the way. Once she arrived at her dresser, she opened it to reveal the uniform that she wore into battle. It set her apart from her sisters, which earned her plenty of criticism. Now she no longer cared what they thought or how they felt.

With her mother's harsh eye watching her every step of the way, she put on the uniform along with the tiara and the Bracelets of Submission. She also retrieved her magic lasso and sword, both of which she earned for herself. In her eyes, these were no longer Amazon weapons. These were the weapons of a different kind of warrior. She could not be the warrior her mother wanted her to be. Instead, Diana would have to become her own warrior.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, Diana – I assure you it's a mistake," said Hippolyta sternly, still trying to sound more like a queen rather than an anxious mother.

"It would be an even bigger mistake for me to stay here and surround myself with more hypocrisy," said Diana.

"You cannot run from your transgressions, Diana!" said her mother with increasing desperation.

"I'm not running. I'm saving you and our sisters the trouble. I'm leaving. There's no need to hold a tribunal. There's no need to seek council with the gods. I'm exiling myself from Themyscira."

"Are you listening to yourself? This is your home. I am your mother. The Amazons are your sisters. You cannot just reject your fate!"

"I don't know what my fate is anymore, mother. And you don't know either. But I know it isn't here. It's out there…in man's world."

The idea of her daughter flying off into the unknown, venturing into a world where devious men ruled without and vulnerable women were exploited, terrified the Queen of the Amazons. Visions of men like Hercules taking Diana and tormenting her in the way she had been tormented was too much to bear. It filled her with such dread that she abandoned her regal poise and tried to confront Diana only as a worried mother. But it was too late.

Hippolyta tried to reach out to her, but Diana shook off her gesture. Now armed with her weapons and attire, she retrieved a simple sack from under her bed and stuffed it with various supplies, including bread and booklets. She then opened the door to the balcony adjacent to her room and stood near the edge. This balcony gave her a clear view of the only home she had ever known. But now she looked at it with such disgust. It made clear to Hippolyta that Diana was not just running off to fume. She was really leaving her home and she had no intention of coming back.

"Please Diana…that world will only destroy you," cried Hippolyta, her emotions overwhelming her tone.

"I am a warrior. I am _not _easily destroyed," said Diana strongly as she looked out over Themyscira for what might be the last time.

"This isn't just some battle against monsters, demons, or undead armies. This is the world of man! You have no idea the horrors you'll see!"

"Then I will confront them. But I'm going to do something that no Amazon has dared to do for centuries. I'm going to have faith that the good I see in man's world will overshadow the bad."

"And if it doesn't?" questioned Hippolyta.

"Then I'll fight it the same way I've learned to fight everything that stands to taint all that is good," said Diana without hesitation. "I may be leaving Themyscira, but I am still a warrior."

"You don't fully know what you are, Diana. You may think your heart is in the right place, but you have no idea the consequences of your actions!"

"I'll fight those too. I'll fight whoever and whatever I must to be the warrior I want to be. It doesn't matter what I don't know. It only matters what I do with the knowledge I have. And I'm going to do the right thing, regardless of the consequences."

Every word she spoke felt so right and so just. For the first time in her life, Diana was seeking her own answers to the burning questions that once plagued her. It was a powerful moment that filled her with such determination and drive.

At the same time, it tore at her heart in a way nothing else had. She was essentially saying goodbye to her mother and her home. As angry as she was, she couldn't stop loving them. She looked back from the balcony and saw that her mother's outrage had given way to sorrow. She in turn shared that sorrow, but she wouldn't let it slow her down. This had to be done and she couldn't afford to second-guess herself. With her heart still breaking, she did her best to convey these difficult emotions to her mother.

"I'm sorry, mother. I really am," said Diana solemnly. "I'll always love you and my sisters, but I cannot be the warrior you want me to be. Maybe one day you'll understand. But right now, this is my choice. Goodbye."

After casting her mother one last glance of sorrow, Diana turned around and flew off. Hippolyta made a half-hearted attempt to reach out to her, knowing that it wouldn't have made a difference. All she could do was step out onto the balcony and watch her daughter leave.

"Goodbye, my darling princess," said Hippolyta through heavy sobs. "Be safe. Be strong. If the gods have any mercy at all, they'll continue to protect you."

* * *

**Metropolis – Daily Planet**

"Not bad, Kent. Not great, but not bad," said the always critical Perry White.

"Thank you, Chief. That might be the highest compliment you've given me all year," said Clark as he stood across from the editor-in-chief's desk.

"Don't let it go to your head. This isn't the smoking gun we were hoping for," said Perry. "Lex Luthor won't need an army of lawyers to deny any involvement in this clusterfuck, but he'll need more than a good PR team to deal with the backlash. Lexcorp's stock has already taken a hefty hit and a lot of people are asking questions he doesn't want them asking. It won't put him behind bars, but it will piss him off and that's the next best thing."

He stopped short of calling this story a success. Perry didn't like using words like that when it came to Lex Luthor. All too often, that egotistical madman found a way to avoid justice. There could be no success until Luthor was behind bars for the rest of his life. As Clark Kent, it was a frustrating standard by which to operate. But as Superman, he understood better than Perry the importance of succeeding.

Clark did what he could with the facts. Upon returning from Syria, he detailed everything that he and Lois found with respect to the chemical attack, the deployment of the prototype, the involvement of Sergeant John Corben, and the tech team that Lexcorp sent into the field. In addition, Jonathan Carroll provided some detailed video footage that had already gone viral with every major news outlet. There was officially a connection between Lexcorp and the development of dangerous weapons that had been deployed illegally. This should have been a devastating blow for Lex Luthor and his interests, but Clark didn't expect it to put him out of business. At the very least, it would slow him down.

Having done his part, Clark left the story in Perry's hands and trusted him to do what he did best with it. He was ready to move onto the next story, hoping that this would be the one that would take Lex Luthor down.

"Wait a sec, Clark. There's one more thing I need to mention. It's about Lois," said Perry, stopping Clark before he could leave his office.

"What about her?" he asked incredulously.

"Don't play dumb. You're too damn smart and too damn decent. Now I usually don't like to get involved in the personal affairs of my employees, but Lois hooking up with some hotshot war correspondent was a heck of a curveball."

"I understand completely, sir. That's why I avoided the subject. I figured you would want to discuss that with her privately," said Clark.

"I already have. But that's not what concerns me," said Perry, now speaking to Clark on a more personal level. "Clark, you and Lois have been joined at the hip since you started here. You two have been through more than your share of war zones together. The fact you two have survived this long shows you're pretty close, even for colleagues."

"I'm not sure what you're implying," said Clark, his discomfort with the subject now painfully apparent.

"I don't mean to imply anything. It's just that…Lois hooks up with this guy and you don't say a word about it. You just put on that lousy poker face, go about your work, and pretend it doesn't bother you. Well guess what? You're talking to a guy who has been married for the better part of two decades and has seen plenty of guys like you get really bothered by something like this. So if this is going to be an issue, let's talk about it now and be done with it."

Clark had been hoping to avoid this conversation. He had heard enough about this subject since he got back. Word around the office spread quickly about Lois' new boyfriend and with his hearing, he couldn't easily ignore it. He tried not to let it affect him. But Perry White, while not known for involving himself in the personal affairs of others, could pick up on the subtleties that Clark did such a bad job of hiding.

Perry was not the only one to notice the close working relationship he had with Lois. It was sort of a poorly kept secret throughout the office. They worked so closely together that some just assumed that there was something going on. Those same people often speculated about Lois' relationship with Superman. For a time, Clark even entertained some of those assumptions. But he made a choice, both as Superman and as Clark Kent. Now people would have to start making different assumptions.

"What Lois does in her personal life is none of my business," said Clark, plain and simply. "She's a close friend and a colleague."

"Is that really all there is to it?" asked Perry, still not convinced.

"Yes, Mr. White. That's all there is to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Clark didn't expect to convince Perry that Lois' new relationship didn't bother him, but he had earned enough trust to convince him that he didn't need to worry about this. He chose not to belabor the issue, letting Clark leave the office. He didn't expect Perry to bring it up again. He had enough on his plate in dealing with Lex Luthor. That was fine with Clark. The less he had to dwell on this, the better.

However, as soon as he left Perry's office, Jimmy Olsen was there waiting for him. Unlike Perry, Jimmy didn't mind belaboring difficult issues.

"There you are, Clark. I was hoping to catch up before you buried yourself in your computer screen again," said Jimmy as he followed Clark back to his desk.

"You don't have to lie to me, Jimmy. I know you were eavesdropping. So skip the part where you pretend you've got photos you want to go over," said Clark curtly.

"Good because that saves me the trouble of wasting a roll of film. I just need to make sure my ears weren't playing tricks on me. Did you really just say that Lois hooking up with some guy doesn't bother you?"

"He's not just some guy, Jimmy. His name is Jonathan and he's a big reason why we got this story in the first place," said Clark, trying to use the same tone he had with Perry.

"I don't usually like to steal Perry's thunder, but don't play dumb!" said Jimmy, now standing in front of him so that he couldn't walk away. "Seriously, Clark, you can't be _this _okay with it. I know you. You know I know you. I've seen the way you look at Lois. It's kind of like the way she looks at Superman…no offence."

"None taken," said Clark, the irony of Jimmy's words not lost on him.

"With that in mind, it doesn't take a skilled reporter to see that this doesn't fit the story, so to speak. Are you really just going to let this happen and not say a word?"

"Lois has already made her decision. I don't see how anything I say really matters at this point."

"Come on, Clark. That's a load of crap and you know it!" scoffed Jimmy.

"It is what it is, Jimmy," said Clark. "It doesn't have to be a big deal. It doesn't have to be a big story. And right now, I'd rather not talk about it."

Much to Jimmy Olsen's dismay, Clark walked around him and back towards his desk. This issue had already caused him too much distress. Right now, he needed to distract himself with work. He couldn't let himself think about Lois, her relationships, or whatever relationship he might have had with her. At this point, it wouldn't be right of him to go back on his choice. He had to live with it and so did everybody else.

"So that's really how it's going to be?" said Jimmy, casting his friend a bemused look.

"Like I said, Jimmy, it is what it is," said Clark.

"And it's like I said, it's a load of crap," he retorted. "I'm starting to really worry about you, Clark. Lois is one of only a handful of people you actually talk to on a non-professional basis. It's like you actively go out of your way to having as few friends as possible. I may just be a freelance photographer with a high school education and way too much student loan debt, but I know that's not healthy. And you of all people don't deserve that."

"I appreciate your concern, Jimmy."

"I'm actually more confused than concerned. You've got a lot going for yourself, Clark…way more than most people working at a newspaper in the internet age. Don't waste it by shutting everybody out. It's not fair to you or your friends for that matter."

It probably came off harsher than he expected, but it got the point across. Clark didn't respond, which was enough to make Jimmy shake his head in frustration and leave him to his work. When he got to his desk, he finally let his dismay show.

Letting out a solemn sigh, Clark turned his attention to the pictures he had on his desk. He had only two, one of his parents and another of him and Lois. Seeing them helped remind him of the importance of his decision. Being alone might have been the right thing to do in order to be the Superman he needed to be. That still didn't make it any less strenuous. But with men like Lex Luthor in the world, he might have to cope. It was the only way he could be ready for whatever challenges awaited him.

* * *

**Themyscira – Temple of Hera**

"Oh great goddess, Hera! Hear my prayers! Feel my sorrow! I humbly request the aid of the gods!"

Hippolyta had never prayed so hard before in her life. Not since her darkest hour at the hands of Hercules had she felt so weak and lost. The anger she felt towards her daughter had given way to overwhelming sorrow. It still burned her heart, knowing her daughter had strayed from the path of the Amazons. Now she was gone, taking with her any hope she had left that one day she would lead her sisters into the coming battles. Beyond the burden of her legacy, it hurt Hippolyta even more that she had failed. The love she had as a mother just wasn't enough to keep her daughter from leaving.

At this point, there was nothing more she could do. She hadn't even announced Diana's departure to the rest of the Amazons. Many would be undoubtedly devastated while some like Aleka would be vindicated. Nothing like this had ever happened to the Amazons. There had been sisters in the past who defied the Amazon code and were subsequently exiled, but none had ever willingly exiled themselves. None had ever been expected to succeed the queen one day either. This loss and this burden was too great, even for a queen to bear.

The Queen of the Amazons spent all night in the Temple of Hera, sealing herself in the central shrine where a statue of Hera stood adorned with numerous Amazonian artifacts. Few Amazons were ever permitted into this shrine. Only those who needed to communicate directly with the gods could enter and right now, only the gods could guide Hippolyta in her hour of need.

"Please, my goddess," cried Hippolyta, "My heart is broken and my spirit is wounded. Take pity on me, for I have failed you. Now I need your help to rectify that failure."

With every ounce of faith and piety in her soul, she prayed at the foot of the statue. The various candles and torches illuminating the shrine flickered. For hours, she received no response. The gods had been unusually silent lately, which had triggered rumors of unrest on Olympus. None of that mattered to Hippolyta. Only her lost daughter concerned her.

Just when it felt like she had no tears left to shed, she felt a familiar gust of air through the chamber. Moments later, the flickering flames changed color, shifting from orange to blue. They also began sparking with miniature thunderbolts. Hippolyta soon heard footsteps near the statue.

"Hera? Is that you?" said Hippolyta desperately.

"No. It is not," said a deep, masculine tone.

The queen shot up and saw the King of the Gods himself emerge from the shadow of the statue. She gasped at his imposing presence. Zeus only rarely appeared before the Amazons. Hera was supposed to be the one responsible for their blessings. However, every Amazon understood that Zeus' authority trumped all others on Olympus.

"Lord Zeus," she said Hippolyta, instinctively bowing in the presence of a god.

"Please rise, Hippolyta. There's no need for that," said the King of the Gods.

"Forgive me, my Lord. My heart is too wounded to stand before you as Queen of the Amazons."

"I know. Hera has already informed me of what has transpired. She and the rest of the gods are quite upset. That is why I saw fit to tend to this matter personally. I think I might be the only one on Olympus that understands your plight."

He spoke with a subtle undertone, one intended to avoid scrutiny from any god or mortal. In this sacred shrine, every word and every thought was strictly between worshipper and god. Hippolyta understood why it needed to be this way and bowed her head solemnly again.

The King of the Gods offered Hippolyta his hand to help her up, which she solemnly took. She returned to her feet and attempted to stand before Zeus as a queen should. This proved difficult, but she was still an Amazon. She still had a strength that put her above mortal women. That same strength is part of what had earned her the respect of Zeus and every other god on Olympus. However, she would need more than strength to get through this.

"I know how precious Diana is to you, Hippolyta. I have watched you raise her since the moment she drew breath," said Zeus. "I've never seen a mother give more love to her daughter."

"But it wasn't enough. I…I lost her. I pushed her away," said Hippolyta, choking on her every word.

"You didn't push her away. Diana was a victim of circumstance. You could not control how that man she met influenced her. You also could not control the decisions she made that led her to this moment. Take it from someone who has seen many of his children make questionable decisions. It is something even gods struggle with."

"So it's too late? Is my daughter truly lost to me?" asked Hippolyta sadly.

"Your daughter still breathes and still wields the spirit of an Amazon. She is not lost. However, she has made her choice and it cannot be unmade."

Hippolyta tried to hide her sobs, but more tears still formed in her eyes. Zeus, in a rare show of compassion, wiped them away. For a moment, even his mighty demeanor faltered. Were this any other Amazon, he would have had no issue delivering his divine judgment. But Diana was no ordinary Amazon, nor was she an ordinary woman by any measure. Even she had no idea how special she was.

"What must I do, Lord Zeus? What _can _I do?" asked Hippolyta, finally gathering herself.

"Were the circumstances more favorable, I would organize a mission into man's world to convince Diana to return. However, you know as well as every other god on Olympus that our circumstances are far from favorable," said Zeus.

"Yes, this growing chaos you speak of," sighed the queen. "I know it takes precedent."

"Not by much, mind you. I'm afraid it is getting worse. I even suspect there might be discord among my fellow gods that seeks to fuel the chaos. While I am unable to divert my energies to address it, I suspect it will incur more threats. As such, I need the Amazons to remain on Themyscira. They are still Olympus' best line of defense."

"In other words, I'm just let Diana wander about in man's world? Worrying endlessly that she'll be the victim of mortal man's cruelty?"

"Diana can take care of herself. She has demonstrated that time and again through combat and training. She can handle the dangers of man's world," said Zeus confidently.

"It's not just the dangers that worry me. Tell me in your infinite wisdom that you are not concerned about the harm she might incur. And I'm not just talking about physical harm either. You and I both know that the _circumstances _of Diana's upbringing make her especially vulnerable."

The air throughout the shrine grew colder and the sparking flames flickered, revealing a distinct unease within Zeus. He still hid it behind his godly demeanor, but Hippolyta knew it was there. She almost tried reaching out to embrace him. However, she knew that could have dangerous consequences, none of which they were prepared to deal with at the moment.

"Those circumstances you speak of must remain between us and us alone," said Zeus sternly.

"I know. And I have every intention of doing so, even if it means lying to her and to every other god I worship," said Hippolyta solemnly.

"For that reason, you are to announce Diana's self-exile in the morning. Hera and I will be there. We will tell your sisters that Diana's spirit has led her away from her home, at least for now. She is welcome to return, although she will still be subject to judgment. Do you understand?"

"I understand, my Lord," said Hippolyta, "Although given the extent of our argument, I doubt Diana will return anytime soon."

"Have faith in her, Hippolyta. She will not abandon you or her sisters. It just isn't in her nature," assured Zeus. "But for now, the Amazons must press on. They must continue battling the growing chaos emanating from Tartarus. I know you were hoping that Diana would lead the charge into this battle, but this is how it must be."

Zeus made it clear to Hippolyta that she could not continue to wallow in sorrow. She had to accept the situation. Diana had left. There was no bringing her back. In addition, she still had duties as Queen of the Amazons. So with the strength she had gained from centuries of hardship, Hippolyta swallowed her sorrow and regained her poise.

"If that is the will of fate and the gods, so be it," she said. "I'll carry on, as you wish…despite my failings."

"Your heart may be heavy and your spirit may be wounded, but make no mistake, Hippolyta – you are still as great a warrior as you've ever been," said Zeus. "Continue fighting and one day, your path will cross with Diana again. I'm sure of it."

"Even if it does, could we ever be mother and daughter again?"

"You are her mother and she is your daughter. Don't forget that. She certainly won't," said Zeus.

"I want to believe that. But now there's so much distance between us. With all this growing chaos, it can only get worse. What if it only drives us further apart? What if it ends up exposing some of the secrets that I…that _we _have been keeping from her?"

Zeus scolded Hippolyta for even contemplating such a possibility. The mere mention of such secrets was enough to worry even the King of the Gods. He knew the consequences of revealing those secrets even better than Hippolyta. That was why he had no intention of ever letting them come out. He made sure Hippolyta understood that.

"That will not happen. I _won't _allow it," said Zeus, placing his hands on her shoulders so that he could feel the power radiating from his being.

"I apologize, Lord Zeus," said Hippolyta. "I didn't mean to…"

"No more apologies. No more brooding. You are an Amazon, Hippolyta. Through loss and hardship, you will continue to fight as the warrior you are. By that same merit, the gods will continue to instill order in a world that has long since stopped worshipping us. I will see to it that Olympus remains intact. You must see to it that your world stays intact as well. That is how it must be…with or without Diana's presence."

Having made his divine will clear, Zeus stepped back from Hippolyta and disappeared in a blinding burst of lightning. Hippolyta only nodded to acknowledge his wishes. She had every intention of seeing them through, regardless of the festering scar on her heart.

She had no other choice and neither did Zeus. The Amazons must continue fighting and the gods must continue ruling. The growing chaos, fueled by growing upheavals in the world of man, would only grow. And if Zeus' suspicions regarding a possible plot from within Olympus, then it could only get worse.

* * *

**Lexcorp Corporate Headquarters – R&D Lab**

'_I suppose I should be furious. I go through the trouble of developing this brilliant prototype and it makes an international spectacle in a war zone. My stocks are down, my lawyers are working overtime, and the Daily Planet is once again giving me migraines. But as disappointing as this failure might be, it is none-the-less informative. A lesser genius would despair, but I'm hardly a lesser genius.' _

There was a lot to be learned and a lot to be desired from the events in Syria. Lex Luthor went to great lengths to ensure his latest creation had the perfect environment to demonstrate its capabilities. For the most part, it went as expected. His prototype left quite an impression. While it would have been nice to see it humiliate Superman, this might have been hoping for too much. Since that alien showed up, he came to expect this sort of frustration. He was still learning how to channel it and this latest ordeal presented a unique set of challenges.

After receiving news of the prototype's failure, Lex ordered his overseas team and some contacts within the UN to retrieve what they could. This included the very wounded body of Sergeant John Corben, who his doctors told him was suffering from some sort of radiation poisoning due to the kryptonite. Now he remained in a chemically induced coma within a special containment chamber that Lex set up in his private lab. This chamber had arrived at his lab earlier this morning. While it took quite a bit of extortion and bribery to keep him from being tried on war crimes, he believed there was still plenty to be gained from investing in John Corben.

He spent the last few hours analyzing his current state. Within the containment chamber, the sergeant remained deathly still and surrounded by a special cocktail of fluids meant to keep his body going. His skin was now tinted green and most of his organs had failed. By all accounts, this man should be dead. His ability to cling to life hinted that he had discovered something.

"Interesting. The radiation from the kryptonite triggered a reaction from the chemical agents deployed by the rebels," said Luthor as he crunched the numbers in his head and on a computer. "Now your cells have been saturated with radiation, but they're not dying. I don't know if that makes you a lucky man, Sergeant. But it certainly makes you useful."

Lex began developing ways in which to exploit this new discovery. It may leave Sergeant Corben in a great deal of discomfort, but he would surely embrace the chance to use it to crush Superman. The man's hatred for that alien rivaled only his.

Sergeant Corben blamed Superman for being dishonorably discharged. He told him all about the secret operation that Superman obstructed. He prevented a drone strike that would have killed a major terror cell, but he stopped it because it would have also killed civilians. Corben took it upon himself to complete the mission, even after his superiors told him to pull out. He was among a growing number of military men who saw Superman as a threat. They were all trying to develop countermeasures, but they were all painfully insufficient. As it stood, Lex Luthor was the only one with the genius and drive to take down that alien.

"At the very least, you proved that metallo could withstand a fight against Superman," Lex continued as he finished his analysis. "He went right for you rather than attack the outer armor. He must have figured that he could not break it. That means I now have a foundation for my next weapon against Superman."

He then turned his attention to the center of his lab where the remains of the prototype had been laid out. Most of the lesser components had been confiscated by the UN, but he made sure he salvaged the most important pieces. This included the fragment of kryptonite that he used as a power source. But it also included a very special component that was not of this world.

He carefully sifted through the remnants of the prototype, casting aside the less valuable materials. The various shards of metallo could be reused. The wires and computer chips could be replaced. However, the core of the main interface could not be thrown away.

He called it the neuro-mechanical accelerator. It was no bigger than a guitar and shaped like a messy array of gears and wires. Lex managed to retrieve it from a mess of burned out wires. He had to wear special gloves to hold it. When he held it up to the light, it radiated with an ominous purple energy. The nature of this energy was the key to neutralizing Superman. He just needed to create a more effective platform for it.

"I already have the hardware. It's the software that needs refinement," said Lex. "The next prototype will be far more effective."

"For your sake and mine, it had better be," came a deep voice.

Lex didn't bother turning around. He just grinned smugly while clinging to the device. The Daily Planet often claimed he would make a deal with the devil himself to further his agenda. Ironically, that wasn't wholly inaccurate.

"Hello to you too, Mr. Arenas. Or do you prefer I call you Ares when you're not pretending to be an overpaid consultant?" said Lex.

"Call me whatever you want, but you had best say it with respect because you're not in a position to be coy."

"You're not in a position to complain about it, unless your overbearing father who pretends to be a god has somehow stopped caring about your activities," retorted Lex.

"My father _is_ a god and so am I. And I still find your tendency to make light of that infuriating."

"Sorry Ares, but I don't believe in gods, demigods, or whatever else you prefer to call yourself. I'm a man of science. I believe only in powers that lesser minds cannot understand – if they care to understand it at all. Now I know you didn't come for me for false worship so state your business. As you can see, I'm very busy."

Lex continued working, taking the component to his work bench where he began analyzing it with his tools. Ares had to restrain himself as he emerged from the shadows near John Corben's containment tank. He had encountered many annoying mortals in his time, but none like Lex Luthor. This man took narcissism to a level that surprised even the gods. He held in his hands components forged by Hephaestus using remnants of Zeus's legendary Aegis, yet he wielded it as if it were a dirty hammer. Any other god would have struck him down for such disrespect. Unfortunately, he needed this man's resources, genius, and ego to wage his war.

"Believe it or not, I come bearing good news," said Ares. "While your latest attempt to integrate Olympian hardware with your mortal gadgets had _mixed _results, it did show promise."

"Don't tell me what I already know, Ares. Either yell at me for not making a prototype capable of killing Superman or give me whatever qualifies as _good news_ for gods," said Lex, who was now looking at the hardware through a special microscope.

"I cannot give the full details to a mortal, but I can say that Olympus has encountered a new _distraction _of sorts."

"What kind of distraction?" asked Lex with only mild curiosity.

"None you need concern yourself with," answered Ares. "All you need to know is that someone who stands to benefit from our success has uncovered a few things that will keep Olympus frustrated."

"Gods getting frustrated? How petty," scoffed Lex.

"This is good for us because it now means we can afford to be bolder. Zeus must now concern himself with matters unrelated to my activities. It should allow me to obtain more materials that will accelerate our progress."

"Good, because the materials you've given me so far will hardly suffice," said Lex, still focusing on the component. "This material managed to break a few laws of physics and biology to make my prototype functional. I'll need to break a few more to make the next one more efficient."

"And you'll have it," said Ares. "Just make sure these _prototypes _of yours are able to fully utilize the powers of the gods. They'll clearly need to if they're to stand a chance against this so-called Superman."

Ares made it clear that he remained skeptical of Lex Luthor's ability. This finally got Lex to look up from his workbench. Without a hint of fear, he walked up to Ares. No mortal had ever looked at the God of War in such a way, but this was no mere mortal.

"If you're really that skeptical, then by all means…find someone capable of turning your _godly _resources into functioning weapons," said Lex sternly, "But let's get something straight here, Ares. The man we're both trying to neutralize _is _a Superman. He _is _a being of great power."

"Careful Luthor. You almost sound like you're defending him," scoffed Ares.

"I'm merely stating facts to one who clearly is uncomfortable with the concept. This is exactly why I don't believe in gods. They see everyone around them as insects. Some, like the Olympians, treat them like a child treats ants in an ant farm. Some, like Superman, treat them as pets to be tamed. But we're neither of those. And if you think being a god sets you apart, you're sadly mistaken."

"This from a man who claims to be superior to all other mortals," retorted Ares.

"Unlike you, I can prove my superiority. I can quantify my genius. And you need that genius more than I need your resources. We both want the same thing with respect to Superman, but we can only achieve that if we see him for what he is and not what we wish he were. Surely a god in their vast wisdom can understand that."

Once again, Ares had to restrain himself. This mortal kept tempting his wrath. However, so long as he needed his resources, he had to put up with him. He was not wrong either, even though he would not allow himself to admit it. The destruction of this prototype was another impressive display of Superman's power. That display was sure to have an effect on all those who heard of it, which made this war he sought all the more important.

"Right now, I understand that we have a window in which to operate," said Ares. "We would both be wise to use it."

"Then I think we're done here," said Lex as he went back to his workbench. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. Between the metallo armor I've salvaged and Mr. Corben's condition, I have a few burning ideas for my next prototype."

* * *

**London, England**

Diana had never been this far from home before. She had never been this alone either. She had really done it. She left her home, her sisters, and her mother. It was like ripping out a piece of her own heart and leaving it behind as she ventured into the unknown. But at no point did she dare look back. Diana had made her decision. Now lost, heartbroken, and confused, she had to find a new place in an unforgiving world.

At first, she just flew to get away. She flew for hours, heading north until she reached a chain of mountains. She ended up just landing on the summit so she could collect her thoughts and wipe whatever tears remained from her eyes. Diana found herself punching rocks in frustration and crying out in anger at what had just transpired. She was angry at the gods, her mother, her sisters, and herself. She dared question what it meant to be a warrior and it cost her everything. It felt right on some levels and wrong on others. It left her spirit so torn that she spent the rest of the day just dealing with her anguish.

When the sun finally set, Diana gathered herself enough to formulate a plan. There weren't a whole lot of places she could go. Her knowledge of man's world extended only to what Kal-El had told her and what she had read in magazines. At first, she thought about seeking out Kal-El. However, she dispensed that idea quickly. She was in no state to see him again. She wouldn't want him to see her like this anyway, confused and angry at a world she didn't understand. She didn't need her already chaotic feelings getting any worse. She needed a place where she could step back, absorb this new world, and find her place within it.

This led her to travel to the city called London, England. It was the home of a woman who might be the only one on this planet who could help her. Flying over the city, she was amazed at what she saw. She had only seen pictures of the great cities of man's world. But those pictures hardly did justice to seeing it first-hand.

'_So this is what man's world has created over the centuries. It's beautiful…chaotic and disorganized, but beautiful. All these men and women, living together in such close quarters, yet able to function. Such grandeur alone shows that they're capable of coexisting on some levels. But to what extent? Will I only end up proving my mother right? I cannot know for sure until I can explore man's world.'_

After flying around the city, taking in various sights and sounds, Diana eventually located her destination. It was what man's world called an apartment complex. Near as she could tell, this was a fairly typical dwelling for men and women alike in man's world. She landed on the balcony on the top floor penthouse. She saw no lights within the dwelling. Diana couldn't tell if anyone was inside so she opened the door and entered.

"Hello? Is anyone here? I'm in need of assistance," she called out.

Diana got no response at first. She continued scanning the darkness for any noticeable presence. She took a few more steps into the dwelling. Then, she sensed a faint shadow from the moonlight pass over her. Less than a second later, she felt the distinct cold of an Amazonian sword against her throat.

"Who the hell dares enter my home?" said an imposing female voice.

"Someone who doesn't intend to fight you," answered Diana, having already recognizing the tone, "Although it is refreshing to see that you haven't lost your Amazon abilities."

The female figure turned on a nearby light, revealing that she attempted to attack wearing only a bathrobe. It would have been so fitting had she not gasped at the identity of the intruder.

"By the gods…Princess Diana?" she gasped.

"Calm yourself, Hessia. I am not worthy of that title anymore. I am just another sister," said Diana.

"This is…unexpected. What are you doing here? Have those _illicit items _I've been sending you finally caught up with me?"

"Actually, this isn't about you. It's about me. A lot has happened since we last spoke. Without going over all the painful details, I'll just say that my mother and I no longer see eye-to-eye over what it means to be an Amazon. So I've exiled myself from Themyscira."

"What do you mean you've _exiled _yourself? What in Athena's name happened?"

"More than I care to reveal at the moment," sighed Diana. "Right now, I need sanctuary. I'm in a difficult predicament and I need help from a sister to get me through it."

Hessia remained in a state of disbelief. She set aside her sword and embraced the princess, but not with her usual formality. If what she said was true, then something very serious had transpired. She had been uninvolved with Amazon affairs for a while now. It seemed things had become quite complicated.

Diana accepted her embrace. She needed the love of a sister right now and Hessia was probably the only one who could sympathize with her situation. For centuries, she had been a healer who specialized in treating the various wounds that Amazons incurred over the course of battle. As time went on, her passion for healing exceeded her passion for combat. She began negating her training in order to study the arts of medicine. Sometimes this involved conjuring illegal potions, which earned her plenty of discipline. It only got worse when she began importing illegal materials from man's world to further her studies. Ten years ago she had been discovered. As a result, her mother and a tribunal exiled her.

She had been living in man's world ever since. She had since forged a new identity and established herself as a field medic for the Red Cross. She was supposed to have ceased all contact with her sisters. However, Diana managed to get in touch with her when she began seeking similar illegal materials from man's world. Hessia had been reluctant at first, but she could not say no to a sister, especially the princess. It felt good to embrace a fellow Amazon again. However, it appeared she had a lot of catching up to do.

"Say no more, sister. My home is at yours for as long as you need it," said Hessia as they parted.

"Thank you. I apologize for intruding," said Diana.

"Think nothing of it. I find it somewhat refreshing to employ my Amazon training again. But I have a lot of questions that'll need answering if you what you say is true."

"I fully intend to answer them all. It involves a man, an argument, and a whole web of lies that I managed to keep for five years. It got so bad that…"

Hessia held her hand up to stop Diana. She had never heard her get this worked up. She hadn't heard any Amazon get this worked up outside of combat. Those answers she sought were clearly more complicated than she imagined.

"That's okay, Diana. You don't need to answer them right away," she told her.

"But you need to know how bad it is," said Diana as she began pacing. "I never planned to exile myself. I just couldn't live under the Amazon Code anymore. Everything they say about man's world and why we must isolate ourselves from it…I just couldn't accept it anymore."

"You wouldn't be the first, but you would be among the few," said Hessia.

"I tried to talk it out with my mother, but that only made things worse! She and every other Amazon refuse to even consider what I know in my heart to be true. I cannot live in that world anymore. I don't even know if I can live in man's world. For all I know, I've completely disrupted the balance between Olympus and Themyscira!"

At this point, Diana wasn't even addressing Hessia. She was basically talking out loud, putting all her conflicting thoughts into words. It sounded even more complicated when she heard herself say it. She ended up hugging her shoulders as the feeling of what she had done continued to sink in.

Hessia did her best to console her sister. She remembered feeling the same way when she left her home. That isolation and uncertainty was the worst part of exile. That was why it was considered the worst punishment an Amazon could receive. However, it didn't have to be that way. She managed to turn it into a new life and there was no reason why the princess couldn't do the same.

"Don't allow yourself to think like that, Diana. Trust me, it won't make the first night of exile any easier," Hessia told her.

"I suppose I'll have to take your word for it. I'm just…not used to being this overwhelmed," said Diana distantly. "I left my home. I'm in a world I don't fully understand. I'm not even sure what sort of life I can live at this point."

"Nobody is sure. That applies to Amazons and mortals alike," she retorted with a touch of humor, "But that doesn't mean we can't figure it out."

"I'm not even sure I'm ready to think that far ahead. Just seeing this city as I flew in was so breathtaking. I wouldn't know where to begin."

"We'll figure that out too. It's going to be easier than you think in some ways, but harder in others."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Diana.

"Because I'm going to help you. Just sit down while I make us some tea. We clearly have a lot to discuss. I can't promise I'll make this less overwhelming, but I can promise you won't be alone in dealing with it."

It was the first bit of comfort that Diana had felt since she left Themyscira. It felt fitting in some respects, taking comfort in a sister that had been scorned by her fellow Amazons. It gave her hope that she could turn this despair and inner conflict into something greater. Her spirit may have been wounded, but her heart had already convinced her that this could be the start of something wonderful.

* * *

**Up next: Secret Connections**


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